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charlottesville city council tonight is an all-you-can-comment event! unlimited public comment -- just in time for them to do absolutely nothing about anything anyone says! 
ok comrades, buckle up. we’re 30 minutes away from everyone’s favorite, most thrilling content: a six hour moment by moment livetweet of a small town city council meeting!
we’re gonna have:
- lots of public comment
- a vote to confirm the new interim city manager
- some spicy discussion about that selection process!
- and a resolution allowing the new interim city manager to declare a state of emergency this weekend in the event of “civil unrest”
- lots of public comment
- a vote to confirm the new interim city manager
- some spicy discussion about that selection process!
- and a resolution allowing the new interim city manager to declare a state of emergency this weekend in the event of “civil unrest”
the selection of current assistant city manager mike murphy for the role came out of a murky & contentious selection process & the original (outside) pick declining thedailyprogress.com/news/local/cit…Xzdy18xo
murphy’s selection was announced on former city manager maurice jones’ LAST DAY on the job. the vote was 3-0.
nbc29.com/story/38776462…
nbc29.com/story/38776462…
full house tonight, complete with a news camera blocking the accessible seating area & a dude in a MAGA hv9qx
v9qx7 minutes late & no councilors on the dais yet, just the council clerk, interim city manager mike murphy, and someone from the city attorney’s office who isn’t the (brand new) city attorney.
this city can’t seem to keep high level staff. wonder why.
this city can’t seem to keep high level staff. wonder why.
usually there’s at least a hint as to what the closed sessions are about, but the agenda tonight gives us no clue. whatever it is must be contentious - they’re ten minutes late already.
cheers and applause as mayor nikuyah walker enters. booing and hissing for mike signer and kathy galvin. this city is so good ❤️
called to order. less than a third of the packed gallery stands for the pledge. ✊🖤
new interim city manager mike murphy with response to matters by the public from the last meeting. the crosswalk at 8th street will be re-striped & new signage added to make the interaction safer for pedestrians. wes gives ms rosia a shout-out for her work on this issue.
mike murphy has the charisma of a wet rag. he’s starting off with the city’s update about the weekend of august 12th.
reiterating the road closures & parking restrictions and public transit updates. adding to those: restrictions & closures of city parks, cancellation of the farmers market, and additional closures. i’ll post all of these later.
the man who requested a permit for the weird carnival with the petting zoo has been notified of the denial of his request. there was a little chuckle from the gallery when murphy said the name of the proposed event - festival of the schmestival.
sad, no antifa giraffe brigade.
sad, no antifa giraffe brigade.
this guy is gonna be bummed
folks who have passes to the city pools, which will be closed this weekend, will be allowed to use the pool at smith aquatic center during the month of september.
murphy acknowledges the closure of the farmers market hurts vendors especially this time of year, with produce being seasonal & harvests coming in. additional vendor slots will be available at the next market.
“we’re essentially shutting the city down,” wes bellamy says.
“it seems like there’s a super heavy handed approach” and asks murphy to expound on that.
“it seems like there’s a super heavy handed approach” and asks murphy to expound on that.
“that’s not really only a question for me to answer,” murphy says.
“this is the agreed upon law enforcement strategy.”
“we need to establish that we can keep citizens safe.” (you already proved you can’t)
“this is the agreed upon law enforcement strategy.”
“we need to establish that we can keep citizens safe.” (you already proved you can’t)
“we do believe the safety and security rather than access and convenience is more important for these three days.” cville city manager mike murphy on the city’s choice to basically shut the whole city down for the weekend of the anniversary of A12.
new police chief brackney now addressing council. says she can’t litigate what happened last year, can only plan for this year. “i would be irresponsible if i didn’t take measures, particularly around vehicular traffic...”
as though terrorists would use the same tactic again?
as though terrorists would use the same tactic again?
wes asks chief brackney if they are “flexible” or “open to suggestions” in the event that public comment offers any useful information tonight. brackney says most things are “set in stone.”
“there isn’t any input or any suggestion that i haven’t listened to” says our brand new police chief. 🙄
wes emphasizes the importance of feeling SAFE, but not feeling “like they’re in prison.”
brackney compares events displaced by the police state to events being cancelled by rain
brackney compares events displaced by the police state to events being cancelled by rain
mayor walker acknowledges that the decisions being made are “hard” and says she’s “just observing” because she doesn’t know all the information the police used to make these decisions.
she seems to be trying to counteract the narrative that she is anti-establishment. damn shame to see her bend to that.
“we don’t have the opportunity to get it wrong two years in a row,” says chief brackney. she is talking about the importance of charlottesville “controlling its own narrative.”
this is PR.
this is PR.
gotta hand it to wes. he is patiently, calmly, diplomatically pushing back HARD on chief brackney. ✊
wes is speaking frankly about the racial element of the police failing to respond to violence from white supremacists. he says “if you look like me,” (a young african american man), police wpuld react very differently.
“you can have an NWA moment,” says chief brackney. the gallery erupts into laughter.
cville police chief brackney: “none of your constitutional rights around free speech, around lawful assembly, around the 2nd amendment, whether we like it or not, will not be suspended because it’s august 12th.”
kathy galvin, in classic kathy galvin fashion: “i just have a comment...”
she proceeds to lick some serious boot.
she proceeds to lick some serious boot.
from the gallery: “are we gonna do this every year? are we gonna keep shutting down for them?”
fire chief baxter responds: “we’ve gotta get this right. that then becomes the zero point from which we can as a community talk about what 2019 looks like.”
fire chief baxter responds: “we’ve gotta get this right. that then becomes the zero point from which we can as a community talk about what 2019 looks like.”
so... yes?
“i hope that answers your question,” he says.
wes responds honestly, “nope.”
wes responds honestly, “nope.”
chief brackney again talking about CONTROLLING THE NARRATIVE. she says it’s important on monday to control, brand, and MARKET the narrative.
branding and marketing this community’s trauma.
branding and marketing this community’s trauma.
someone from the gallery shouted “quit your job if you want to keep the community safe!” fire chief baxter takes offense to the assumption that he is a cop & briefly engages.
discussing the severance pay for former city manager maurice jones. it includes forgiveness of a no-interest loan of over $80,000 he was given to finance his move to the city when he took the job.
mayor walker is now addressing the controversy surrounding her social media posts calling for protest of a city council decision re: the city manager selection process.
watch live, if you’re so inclined
nikuyah: if this city is going to be transparent, equitable, “then we make decisions differently than we made them before.”
hill interrupts... she’s feistier than normal tonight. this feels PERSONAL.
hill interrupts... she’s feistier than normal tonight. this feels PERSONAL.
heather has some serious hurt feelings about how this city manager selection beef went down. she can’t let it go. wes jumping in now to defend nikuyah. countdown to mike mansplaining it all for us...
kathy isn’t so much “listening” as “waiting for it to be her turn to talk”
mike says “this isn’t personal”
nikuyah silences the gallery, saying “no, i’m interested in this.”
mike says “this isn’t personal”
nikuyah silences the gallery, saying “no, i’m interested in this.”
sounds like nikuyah was in favor of the other assistant city manager, leslie beauregard. (that would’ve been my choice!)
mike is using his deeply infuriating whine-splaining voice.
THIS IS SO PETTY.
mike is using his deeply infuriating whine-splaining voice.
THIS IS SO PETTY.
y’all, we got a nazi situation to talk about. this is fucking wild. take your lunchroom drama outta here.
TRANSPARENCY IS: watching your elected officials behave like goddamn children.
mike: “we have been sued multiple times!” he’s so damn worried about lawsuits.
“because i can separate, which you have a difficult time doing...” nikuyah BURNING mike.
people talking over each other. yelling from the gallery. mike looks offended.
people talking over each other. yelling from the gallery. mike looks offended.
sounds like the 3-2 split early on in this process was heather, mike, and kathy in favor of an outside hire; wes & nikuyah in favor of promoting one of the assistant city managers.
mike says leslie withdrew herself from consideration because the process was such a bad experience? she was called back from vacation to participate, apparently.
kathy: “may i please make a comment?”
kathy: “may i please make a comment?”
now on to public comment. starting with mary carey.
“i’m sorry heather you didn’t get your pick,” she says hotly. laughter and applause from the gallery.
“i’m sorry heather you didn’t get your pick,” she says hotly. laughter and applause from the gallery.
she says the outside hire they tried to bring in would’ve been a puppet, “on a string,” and weak. she’s speaking right to heather, who looks VERY unhappy.
mary carey asks why heather, kathy, and mike are so afraid of nikuyah. “is it because she’s young, gifted, and black? or is it because she’s smarter than y’all?”
🔥🔥🔥
🔥🔥🔥
“y’all keep on with this stuff & there’s gonna be some new people up there”
YOU TELL ‘EM MARY!
YOU TELL ‘EM MARY!
heather says the hardest part of all this is how it’s affected her relationship with the mayor. mary WENT OFF. heather might cry.
mike now defending the man who turned down the job. talking about how he served our country, doesn’t deserve his name dragged, whatever. the gallery EXPLODES. no one wants to fucking hear it. can y’all hear me on the livestream yelling “imperialist bootlicker” ?
nikuyah tried to quiet us down so we could hear mike. he interrupted her to “help” & she fires back with a firm rebuke that she can handle it. this is a spicy one, folks.
“i thought he had more information than someone on the outside should’ve had” - nikuyah on zemp’s city manager interview. something is amiss here.
folks are telling me that the public tv live feed has been down tonight? the feed on twitter seems to be working, though.
nikuyah says no one took her concerns seriously that the process was flawed, that they were dismissive.
oh wow kathy is talking to nikuyah like she is a CHILD.
heather is on the verge of tears. she is claiming she did not know zemp, seems offended at the allegation. apparently she “knows someone who knows him” and passed his information to the council clerk in june.
after a LENGTHY sidebar, we’re on to public comment number two. it’s our MAGA hat pal. he opens by saying he hopes he will be allowed to speak without interruption. he’s deeply offended that we’re laughing at him.
he says we need to “acknowledge the hate that came to town” last summer. says people need to be able to express their views and opinions without fear of repercussions from those who disagree
he says he’s had conversations with don gathers, rick turner, and jeff fogel before. cool, so you know two black people and a jewish person?
“i believe our founding fathers had tolerance in mind when they wrote the first amendment so that all points of view could be expressed”
he says “SOCIAL JUSTICE WARRIORS” make people leave their first amendment rights at the door.
he says “SOCIAL JUSTICE WARRIORS” make people leave their first amendment rights at the door.
ohhhh what? he says we are evolving into two separate species... something and morlocks? what is HAPPENING.
he says he wants to close with a quote from thomas jefferson and the crowd collectively groans.
nikuyah now arguing with a member of the audience.
nikuyah now arguing with a member of the audience.
it got very quiet for a second. someone in the gallery says “fuck thomas jefferson.”
he closes with this quote...and i’ve gotten an ocular charley horse from rolling my eyes
he closes with this quote...and i’ve gotten an ocular charley horse from rolling my eyes
next up: another old white guy! he’s scolding mayor walker for being a black woman with opinions. boring. next.
he’s very concerned about “racial overtones.”
says the 3-2 council votes mean “three white people, two black people.” says it “doesn’t have to be” that way.
says the 3-2 council votes mean “three white people, two black people.” says it “doesn’t have to be” that way.
good god why is he allowed to continue past his time.
wes is BEGGING to respond. he’s gonna light this guy UP.
“i’m not just gonna let you talk to her crazy like that.” wes is on fire tonight.
i’m not even gonna try to capture the highlights of this moment. i’ll grab the video later. it’s the moment we deserved.
“i am not concerned about whether you’re comfortable,” nikuyah calmly and powerfully responds to this chalky old racist.
for those of you following along at home, we’ve gotten through... three comments from the public? is that really it? we’re gonna be here all night or until we all end up arrested.
no one wants to hear it, signer.
folks, public comment has devolved into the mike signer ego meltdown hour.
we’re still arguing about who said what when about releasing zemp’s resume to the public.
ok, next public commenter. nothing resolved, but i’m glad we’re moving on. how long do you think we’ll argue about something unrelated after this one?
alright girl, lay it out. she’s speaking on WHITE FRAGILTY.
i hope mike is listening.
i hope mike is listening.
oh fuckin got her! kathy called out for siding with developers.
calling out mike for leaking emails to the press just days before the election last year.
LIGHT EM UP.
calling out mike for leaking emails to the press just days before the election last year.
LIGHT EM UP.
“please take responsibility for your racism.”
she passes three copies of a book on white fragility up to the dais, one for each white councilor.
she passes three copies of a book on white fragility up to the dais, one for each white councilor.
weird, no reply from the dais on that one?
white guy up next starts by saying “this is like wrestle mania” and congratulates council on a job well done, praising mike murphy.
white guy up next starts by saying “this is like wrestle mania” and congratulates council on a job well done, praising mike murphy.
he’s concerned about the word “interim,” saying if they aren’t confident in a permanent appointment, why make any appointment at all? (IRONCLAD LOGIC!)
says the constant feuding, bickering, and backstabbing from councilors is a problem. “you are acting worse than if you had a few republicans on the council.” (?)
he says he doesn’t expect them to hug or vote unanimously, but they need to “work together”
he says he doesn’t expect them to hug or vote unanimously, but they need to “work together”
alright tanesha, light it up.
“first of all mike, you’re a grown ass man. you need to get your panties out of a bunch.”
she says signer needs to quit leaking emails.
“first of all mike, you’re a grown ass man. you need to get your panties out of a bunch.”
she says signer needs to quit leaking emails.
“here we are worried about jason kessler,” but they can’t even address the white supremacy right here on city council.
“y’all three, you’ve been a problem.” (mike, kathy, heather)
“mike, do you have a problem with women? are you a misogynist? do you have a problem with people of color?” (yes)
“mike, do you have a problem with women? are you a misogynist? do you have a problem with people of color?” (yes)
comrade at the mic speaking to the city’s housing needs assessment.
public housing is in disrepair, we need a public bond to rebuild & expand affordable housing.
“if we don’t get this right, this city is gonna look like san francisco” - working class people will be priced out.
public housing is in disrepair, we need a public bond to rebuild & expand affordable housing.
“if we don’t get this right, this city is gonna look like san francisco” - working class people will be priced out.
kathy, concerns about rich people’s property taxes is NOT the right talking point when responding to a public comment about the working class being driven out of the city.
don gathers up now.
“this is why people all over the city are canceling their HBO subscriptions,” he jokes, talking about how exciting the meeting is.
“this is why people all over the city are canceling their HBO subscriptions,” he jokes, talking about how exciting the meeting is.
sidebar, but apparently this is the book the earlier comment gifted to mike, kathy, and heather.
i hope they read it.
i hope they read it.
don says he understands the need to keep us safe, but it feels like we’re being held hostage (re: the city’s plan this weekend)
“we don’t want to do a complete 180” from last year’s total lack of police response.
“we don’t want to do a complete 180” from last year’s total lack of police response.
“handle what needs to be handled, but we don’t need a paramilitary presence” this weekend.
calls from the gallery of “arrest kessler!” and “dont gas us!”
calls from the gallery of “arrest kessler!” and “dont gas us!”
mike murphy says “i think it’s clear” that the city manager would be the one to make “policy decisions” and law enforcement would make “tactical decisions” this weekend. this is not exactly the party line we’ve gotten from other members of this “unified command”
every public comment period i’ve attended about the upcoming A12 anniversary, the biggest public concern has been “who is in charge?”
i think the real question should be “who is accountable?”
i think the real question should be “who is accountable?”
don pushes back on the milquetoast replies from mike murphy. he’s specifically asking about the incident at last summer’s klan rally when gary pleasants gassed activists against the orders of then-chief thomas. who is in charge? who is accountable?
“i came to speak about climate change and this isn’t the night to do that, it really isn’t.” thank you for reading the room.
she says “i’m gonna come back another time...” but is encouraged by calls of “go ahead!” and “it’s our planet, too!”
see? anyone who isn’t a racist fascist shithead is more than welcome to speak ❤️
see? anyone who isn’t a racist fascist shithead is more than welcome to speak ❤️
with public comment extending indefinitely, when will we take a break?
ugh, yeah, i forget sometimes about “worldwide, catastrophic climate change.”
we really are fucked, huh?
we really are fucked, huh?
yes! climate justice and racial justice are inextricably intertwined! the pipeline compressor station isn’t being built in a historically black community for no reason!
hearty applause for our environmentalist friend ❤️🌎
hearty applause for our environmentalist friend ❤️🌎
“building a fortress this year to make up for under policing last year” isn’t the right choice.
shutting this city down isn’t going to help anyone.
shutting this city down isn’t going to help anyone.
a woman up now reading a letter on behalf of the people’s coalition about racist policing (my verbal shortcut - she was more diplomatic about it)
i imagine i can probably get the text of their public letter & post it later! this is important. they’re demanding, among other things, that police not use the heightened security this weekend as a pretense to harass communities of color.
they are also demanding additional street parking restrictions in the area of low income housing communities.
YES. demanding that law enforcement treat street medics & legal observers with RESPECT and allow them to do their duties.
lot of folks must’ve set themselves a 9pm curfew. a sudden exodus between speakers 🤷♀️
ms rosia at the mic! ❤️✊
“we’re going from a stand down to a shutdown.”
“we’re going from a stand down to a shutdown.”
taking away parks from children doesn’t keep us safe.
we deserve to be together in unity and community this weekend. shutting the city down hurts us. “you are still punishing this community”
we deserve to be together in unity and community this weekend. shutting the city down hurts us. “you are still punishing this community”
“it is my duty to fight. it is my duty to win.” ms rosia echoing the words of assata shakur, always speaking truth to power.
ms katrina up now reminding us that the police chose to gas activists who stood against the klan on july 8, 2017. the cops provided police escorts to white supremacists over and over again. and they stood down on A12.
“is there a credible threat?” activists provided ABUNDANT EVIDENCE of real threats last year and they didn’t shut the city down. so why are they doing it now?
“we protected this city last year. and we want to do the same this year.”
making it hard to make us show up makes this city look like cowards.
“do you y’all wanna be the city who ran from white supremacists?” “that’s what you’re gonna look like if we shut this city down.”
making it hard to make us show up makes this city look like cowards.
“do you y’all wanna be the city who ran from white supremacists?” “that’s what you’re gonna look like if we shut this city down.”
heather hill: “we’re not discouraging people from coming downtown.”
that is NOT what y’all have been saying!
that is NOT what y’all have been saying!
“we’re encouraging people to be wherever they choose to be” clear as mud, mike murphy.
the gallery keeps insisting to know if there has been a credible threat. mike sounds exasperated and bored, says they’re not going to share that information.
that’s mike MURPHY, interim city manager, that is. not mike signer. one of them needs a new name. this is gonna get confusing.
(i hope everyone watching at home heard me yell “fuck the police” at kathy galvin)
but i mean it: the real threat IS THE POLICE.
but i mean it: the real threat IS THE POLICE.
mike murphy is a real fuckin’ eeyore, goddamn.
nikuyah counters community suggestions that the city provide alternative programming, like free family day at a movie theater for low income families, by saying it would make those people targets. terrifying thought.
nikuyah says the “safest place in the world” should be a church, “but we know what happened” in south carolina (referring to the church shooting) (but what about what happened HERE outside the church on august 11th?)
“that’s not a ‘stay home,’ that’s a ‘you may have to limit your options.’”
that’s... an interesting way to talk about what y’all are doing.
that’s... an interesting way to talk about what y’all are doing.
wes pushes back, saying he’s gonna be out this weekend. he and nikuyah are arguing.
nikuyah is reading a written statement, a disclosure that sounds like it was written by a lawyer. aside from being our mayor, she is also a city employee — she works for the parks department as her day job.
this is a VERY LONG STATEMENT damn
we are still technically in public comment. it’s been twenty minutes since the last speaker sat down. i mean i’m glad we’re talking this out... just making the observation.
nikuyah’s argument for closing pools and parks is one of employee safety. this parents of teen lifeguards have called to say their kids won’t come to work. wes: you don’t need a lifeguard for the splash park. fair point.
kathy: we don’t have enough police to keep parks safe - police personnel will be in “places where they think there will be the most danger.” so... the parks won’t be policed? good to know.
this “teenage lifeguard” argument seems disingenuous.
ok here’s my solution: antifa lifeguards.
a loud and impassioned speech from the gallery by ms rosia was met by nikuyah just calling the next name on the list for public comment.
please god can we take a recess
another long, weird sidebar. moving on to the next speaker — talking about city funding for nonprofits.
no, the police are still the bad guys. fuck bootlickers & civility enforcers, tSIcp
SIcpkathy is complaining that the press have not adequately reported on her stance on nonprofit funding.
oh thank god. we’re still in public comment but we’re taking a brief recess.
back in session after a 25 minute recess. still in open public comment.
charlottesville public access tv is having an orientation in august 18th. life goes on. comforting to hear something this normal & mundane.
“you don’t have to worry about russia or nazis. you’re just talking to people in your neighborhood.”
this is so pure.
this is so pure.
nancy at the mic, nikuyah walker campaign sign in hand. ❤️💚🖤
kathy is fading fast
“where are we supposed to go?” asks this community member. no permits were issued at all to community groups. how can we gather to celebrate community? not “huddle, isolated in our homes.”
why aren’t police escorting US, guarding US, protecting US with their backs to US?
why aren’t police escorting US, guarding US, protecting US with their backs to US?
what a beautiful human moment. ms joy is remembering nikuyah’s mentor, holly edwards, and praising nikuyah. nikuyah is teary eyed.
“shame on you for what i’m seeing. y’all can take it personally, i really don’t care.”
she’s admonishing the rest of council for the way they’ve treated nikuyah.
she’s admonishing the rest of council for the way they’ve treated nikuyah.
ms joy says everything happens for a reason. kathy says “the good lord” put them in each other’s lives, “i think we need each other.”
shut your goddamn mouth kathy galvin.
shut your goddamn mouth kathy galvin.
next speaker addressing the severance package the city gave outgoing city manager maurice jones & the contract for new interim city manager mike murphy. his contract was released, heavily redactenbc29.com/story/38819532…eGqr
nikuyah is wearily asking “is there ANYONE ELSE?” between speakers. we are into hour four.
“you? you are very disrespectful.” this commenter calls out mike signer for being on his phone all night, ignoring people speaking.
to heather: “you’re just a backstabber. my mama told me not to sugarcoat anything.”
to heather: “you’re just a backstabber. my mama told me not to sugarcoat anything.”
“what you did? that’s racism. how you acted? that’s racism.”
i’m so fucking pleased to see mike, kathy, and heather taken to task on this tonight.
i’m so fucking pleased to see mike, kathy, and heather taken to task on this tonight.
“with transparency, you welcome the entire discussion” says nikuyah, delicately addressing the ugliness between councilors earlier this evening.
she says “i don’t even know how to defend against what he’s got going on here,” about signer’s comments.
she says “i don’t even know how to defend against what he’s got going on here,” about signer’s comments.
“there comes a time in your life when you have to stand up for what’s right.”
this woman is bringing some real power to the mic tonight. this is another bit of video i’ll try to grab tomorrow.
this woman is bringing some real power to the mic tonight. this is another bit of video i’ll try to grab tomorrow.
“they came to kill us. that’s what you gotta get in your heads.”
“are you gonna make a decision to stand for what’s right? that’s what it boils down to.”
hearty applause from what remains of the gallery here at 11pm.
“are you gonna make a decision to stand for what’s right? that’s what it boils down to.”
hearty applause from what remains of the gallery here at 11pm.
“we’re not gonna talk about where people are gonna be posted,” says mike murphy in response to reverend ron gathers’ question about whether law enforcement will be protecting our churches, synagogues, and mosques this weekend.
tanesha up now asking why the only real community forum on this weekend was held during the pilgrimage - many community leaders, including two council members, were out of town.
heather says the scheduling of the public meeting was “an unfortunate oversight.”
oh mike signer. please stop talking. you petulant little shit.
“the comments you keep making to me, you don’t have any right to make.” nikuyah is done taking shit from mike signer. fucking FINALLY.
ms joy up again. she says there seems to be a concerted effort from mike signer and kathy galvin to make nikuyah fail.
kathy is such a smug piece of shit.
“i am committed to make this council work. we have to move forward. we’re all here because we love this city.”
unity, civility, bootlicking. kathy’s core values.
unity, civility, bootlicking. kathy’s core values.
ok end of public comment. not even four hours - not so bad? on to the consent agenda.
kathy moves to table item A on the consent agenda, approving july 16 meeting minutes, until those minutes are posted.
nikuyah wants to pull H for discussion. wes seconds on the condition that it be moved to the next meeting (rather than the end of tonight’s).
nikuyah wants to pull H for discussion. wes seconds on the condition that it be moved to the next meeting (rather than the end of tonight’s).
unanimous vote on the consent agenda with those two items pulled.
they’ve motioned to table the public hearing on the city manager search process until the next meeting. seemingly because many people who wanted to speak on the issue have already left for the night. one person who stayed to speak on the issue objects. so it’s back on...
sounds like we’ll have the hearing as scheduled tonight AND address it at the next meeting.
“the issue of white fragility is not to be shrugged off.” mike and kathy are dying up there.
the second person signed up for the public hearing has gone. the third and fourth people on the list said they’ll hold off until the hearing at the next meeting due to the late hour.
“obviously something is not being told in this story,” tanesha up again addressing the redaction portions of mike murphy’s contact. nikuyah says that’s the next topic.
no offense to the city staff bringing us the streetscape report at the end of tonight’s agenda, but it is 11:30pm and we are on #2.
now on to the ratification of mike murphy’s employment contract, of which we’ve only seen a redacted version.
apparently the closed session before tonight’s meeting was about this contract, which has already been signed but a vote to adopt the resolution in an open meeting is required
retirement benefits are exempt from FOIA but an employee could waive the right to confidentiality on that...
in case you’re wondering why it matters, remember what we just found out about outgoing city manager maurice jones
kathy moves to adopt the resolution, heather seconds. now they’re having a discussion about the contract, after lengthy comments from the acting city attorney cautioning them about disclosing anything about the redacted sections.
mike and heather both praise mike murphy & thank him for his willingness to take the position.
wes now addressing the fact that it was a 3-0 vote. nikuyah and heather were out of town during the meeting - they were forced to vote that day as it was jones’ LAST DAY on the job. had they postponed, the position would’ve been vacant.
WE WERE SO CLOSE TO ANARCHY 🏴 damn them & their last minute vote.
so the retirement benefits exemption to FOIA can be waived by a vote of council...
nikuyah asked mike murphy if he would be open to discussing the redacted portions of the contract. he says “sure,” wearily.
mike murphy: “i’m only interested in two things in my life: taking care of my family and being of service” at his job.
he says he didn’t expect to be asked to be city manager. “i believe leadership is needed and i believe i can provide it.”
he says he didn’t expect to be asked to be city manager. “i believe leadership is needed and i believe i can provide it.”
but he says he won’t seek the position permanently, mostly because he does not live in city limits (which is required of the city manager) “and i’m not gonna move.”
he says he’s in a unique position in that he’s worked here 24 years, but won’t be old enough to retire under the current system (requires you to be 55+). his contract will allow him to retire early.
nikuyah maintains that it would not have actually ended the world if they’d taken a little more time & had the meeting selecting the interim city manager when all councilors were in town & together.
apparently there’s a significant difference between an ACTING city manager, which is what we would’ve gotten if maurice left before an interim could be named, and an INTERIM city manager, which they’ve just appointed. y’all, it is MIDNIGHT.
this meeting has been going on so long there are already newspaper articles out discussing the thing we’re still talking about
i’ve been sitting in city council chambers for six hours. we’ve had only one recess tonight. this is cruel.
nikuyah just asked the woman standing in for the city attorney if “ratifying this contract is the only option.”
before they vote, nikuyah says she feels there should be further discussion about the contract.
“you all really need to look at how you make decisions”
“the permanency of this request is very alarming to me”
she emphasizes she isn’t unsupportive of murphy for this role, though.
“you all really need to look at how you make decisions”
“the permanency of this request is very alarming to me”
she emphasizes she isn’t unsupportive of murphy for this role, though.
heather is gonna need an emergency trip to the dentist if she clenches her jaw any harder.
whoa whoa whoa what’s this bit about the contract stating he can’t be fired for anything other than “an egregious act.” what does that even mean?
heather and mike signer are frantically trying to crush wes’ suggestion that they put off voting to ratify the contract tonight to have additional conversation about nikuyah’s concerns.
sorry, i got distracted looking at some pictures of the corpses of murdered communists some nazi sent me, but they voted down the suggestion of another closed session to discuss the contract. followed by the vote on the contract, 3-2, as expected
oh baby, we are about to watch a dang powerpoint.
“our goal is to work toward the preferred option”
oh no. i’ve died and hell is just watching overpaid consultants give powerpoints.
oh no. i’ve died and hell is just watching overpaid consultants give powerpoints.
we’re gonna build a path through a dirt mountain under some train tracks. mike signer can’t even pretend to pay attention to this powerpoint.
throw back to this powerpoint from a march council meeting about the hotel that hasn’t been built yet in the space we’re discussing sidewalk access for
“you’d have to bore from two different directions in order to do that.” i know he’s talking about tunneling, but this presentation is boring me from all directions.
kathy wants to craft a formal statement endorsing the tunnel. tunnel business passes 4-0 with nikuyah abstaining.
and now other business...
“you could certainly ask him to notify you at the time he’s inclined to make that declaration...” - woman from the city attorney’s office on nikuyah’s question about whether murphy would have to notify council when declaring a state of emergency. sounds like kind of... no?
resolution allowing the interim city manager to declare a state of emergency carries 4-1 with nikuyah dissenting.
this might be the longest we’ve ever been here? or at least damn close. i’m tired and hungry.
they’ve been very generous in allowing people to finish their comments after the timer goes off. that’s awesome. i appreciate it. but it’s after 1am and the time for generosity is over.
wes: “i hope mr murphy knows that he has my support, i just don’t agree” with the way the decision was reached. he laments that they decided not to meet again about it.
meeting adjourned.
meeting adjourned.
