Public hearing chaos discussed by attendees

  • Brooke Fisher<br>Enterprise editor
  • Monday, March 3, 2008 6:46am

SHORELINE — Residents on Tuesday shared their thoughts regarding the premature ending of the Jan. 10 City Council meeting and a common concern was that police force had been unnecessarily used.

The responses from citizens at the Council’s Jan. 18 workshop meeting came a week after resident Tim Crawford was asked to leave a meeting after speaking loudly. Due to the disruption that ensued, the Council adjourned earlier than expected.

Before the public comment portion of the Jan. 18 workshop meeting, Mayor Ron Hansen read a statement to the crowd, asking them to refrain from booing, cheering or clapping after people spoke, in order to maintain a respectful atmosphere and ensure speakers did not become intimidated.

LaNita Wacker addressed the Council and said that as elected officials, Council members frequently “sit in the hot seat.” She advised them that the level of intimidation at the previous meeting came not from the speaker, but from the Council’s use of police force in an attempt to escort Crawford from the room.

“We ask you to sit patiently, quietly, tolerantly for three minutes,” Wacker said. “That is what I expect from my elected officials.”

After Wacker spoke, many in the crowd applauded, which prompted Hansen to adjourn the meeting for 10 minutes as a warning.

When the meeting reconvened, Tim Crawford’s wife, Patty, said those who wrote letters published in the Jan. 14 Enterprise were upset because they were not able to speak on the issue of the new site for city hall. If her husband had not been asked to leave, they would have been able to speak, she said.

Resident Walt Hagen said that most residents come to the meeting with the notion that they will be respectful to the Council.

Elaine Phelps said she would never be intimidated by a speaker, but would be intimidated by the police. She also said the crowd should be able to applaud after speakers.

“I would like to know when the Council decided one rule is that we can’t applaud,” Phelps said. “Applause is a very American tradition.”

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