GARFIELD -- Council members gathered, about a dozen people sat in the audience, Mayor Gary Blackburn read city ordinance no. 151, but no meeting was called to order. The notice of the meeting had been sent to each council member and to the media, but questions arose as to whether it was a "legally called" meeting, Blackburn said.
Garfield city ordinance allows for the mayor or three council members to call a special meeting for "business that cannot be postponed or issues that affect a limited number of citizens."
Prior to the mayor reading the ordinance, council member Dale Watkins took a document to each of the council members for their signatures. The document was the notice calling the meeting. Both council members Malania Carter and Kathryn Shook signed the document but noted that they did not request the meeting, but agreed to it.
As he read the ordinance, the mayor accepted comments and questions from council members and the audience. At one point he said: "I'm going to make a determination that your note makes no bearing; I will finish reading the ordinance and then start the meeting."
Former mayor Laura Hamilton said: "I don't understand your saying the word 'request' does not have a bearing."
Three council members when asked, said they signed the document Tuesday evening at City Hall. Council member Bill Matthew said he signed it Friday or Saturday. Mayor Blackburn said he wrote the document and printed it Tuesday.
"This is the kicker right here and will determine whether we go forward," Blackburn said. "I was told by alderman Watkins on Sunday that he had the concurrence of the three other aldermen. I didn't get the document until tonight."
"I will leave it to the body who generated this document," Blackburn said, "bottom line, is it your belief that we intend to have a special legal meeting?"
Carter said: "I do not know who generated the document."
Blackburn said he created the document per Watkins' request. Shook said the meeting was not called legally.
Carter said: "I didn't request; I didn't want the meeting."
"I apologize for your coming out tonight," Blackburn concluded, adding that the meeting was never called to order so all present could either come or go.
"It's like trying to make soup out of the shadow of a pigeon and starve to death," Blackburn said in response to the question of the violation of the Freedom of Information Act by the council members talking to one another. "How can you do business without talking to each other.... the attorney general has said they can talk to each other."
General News on 09/02/2015