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Aug 28

It's an awfully big pill to swallow

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Link: http://www.sedaliademocrat.com/news/commission_10965___article.html/agenda_county.html

The Petis County Commission met on Tuesday. They turned down a proposal to house sexual predators in the county jail. That’s all well and good. But the issue wasn’t on the published agenda. News sources had no way of knowing that it would be discussed, so the meeting wasn’t covered by many of them. This is a violation of the “Sunshine Law".

When asked about it, Presiding Commissioner Rusty Kahrs said (quote credited to the Sedalia Democrat) “I should have looked at it, (the agenda) I Didn’t have this one in front of me. I glanced at it, but I didn’t sit down and give it a thorough read, and that’s my fault.”

With that in mind, We’re supposed to swallow that the Presiding Commissioner for the past (approx.) 8 years didn’t read or have a copy of the agenda in front of him in the meeting. He didn’t follow it and tick off each point as it was raised according to Robert’s rules of order.

I’m not going to sit here and say it’s not possible. That would be presumptuous of me. But it’s an awfully big pill to swallow.

(by a guest blogger)

6 comments

  1. § blacknight® Email said on : 08/28/08 @ 07:07
    The Sunshine Law is nothing more than a requirement for public entities to do the job of the media. Let's face it, The Sedalia Democrat should have reporters assigned to those meetings anyway. By standing behind the Sunshine Law they're saying WAAAAAHHHH you need to let us know when something's going to happen in advance! A bunch of crybabies is all they are. This is a great case to tell The Democrat to STFU!!! BTW: This is the commission that missed unauthorized roads being paved. I don't really think it's that big a pill to swallow that they wouldn't scrutinize the agenda. My only question is why does Pam Doane do the agenda? Doesn't the Commission have their own secretary? Just wondering.

    BK
  2. § bruceinthemorning® Email said on : 08/28/08 @ 07:17
    While I agree with your argument, you miss the point of the blog. Yes, people should be made to do their jobs. And you KNOW I'll never pass up an opportunity to tell the Democrat to STFU.

    But the point I'm making is that the "excuse", which carries a maximum effective range of zero meters, is far fetched to say the least.
  3. § blacknight® Email said on : 08/28/08 @ 07:23
    My point is it's not that far fetched. Keep in mind who these people are. Their noses are in the air so they would never be able to see an agenda laying on the desk. Both you and The Democrat fail to recognize the real issue: If it wasn't on the agenda, why was it brought up in the first place? The agenda either had to have been completely ignored, or as Pam Doane said, there was a line item for 'contracts', under which the subject was brought up.
  4. § bruceinthemorning® Email said on : 08/28/08 @ 07:29
    So, what you're saying is that there is a lack of professionalism in the commissioner's office. Which is what I said in my initial post. You just said it in a different way. Good job turning the argument around......

    I have a theory on WHY it was brought up, but I have no way of proving it. So I'll not make it public.
  5. § blacknight® Email said on : 08/28/08 @ 07:47
    From http://ago.mo.gov/sunshinelaw/sunshinelaw.htm

    Meeting Notices 610.020

    At least 24 hours (excluding weekends and holidays) before a public meeting, the public body must prominently post a notice of the meeting in its principal office. If there is no such office, the public body should post the notice at the meeting place. The notice must include:
    Time of meeting;
    Date of meeting;Place of meeting;
    Tentative agenda of an open meeting; (emphasis mine)
    and Whether the meeting is open or closed.


    From Dictionary.com

    ten·ta·tive [ten-tuh-tiv] Pronunciation Key
    –adjective 1. unsure; uncertain; not definite or positive;

    Sedalia Democrat STFU! The commission posted an "unsure; uncertain; not definite or positive;" agenda and you're whining because they amended it. I am quite certain (cer·tain [sur-tn] –adjective: established as true or sure; unquestionable; indisputable; free from doubt or reservation; fixed; agreed upon; settled) that the only thing that surpasses your willingness to run whining to a lawyer (who apparently doesn't understand the meaning of the word tentative either) is your desire to bamboozle those people who read your rag. Either you were aware of the 'tentative' clause in which case you intentionally misrepresented the issue, or you were ignorant of it, in which case you are merely spreading your ignorance. Which causes us to once again ask the question: Are you truly that stupid, or do you just think we are?

  6. § ez writer Email said on : 09/06/08 @ 11:05
    if you read the full sentence in which the word tentative appears, it clearifies the law. "All public governmental bodies shall give notice of the time, date and place of each meeting, and its tentative agenda, [ in a manner reasonably calculated to advise the public of the matters to be considered ]. the council did not advise the public, therefore they broke the law. to prosicute carrs and co. though it would have to be proven they did it willfully, and of course he did the "me bad" excuse. as far as the sunshine law doing the media's job, if it wasn't for the law, media could be stopped at the door of meetings along with the public. it prevents any more "good ole' boy" shinanigans.

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