Just read my lips, yes I think you can. Just read my lips and I think you’ll understand.

    A little town on the western side of the state has been engaging in some mind-boggling city council action  lately.  In past weeks, I’ve heard stories about council members resigning in great numbers and meetings being held without notice, in fact being held a hour after announced meetings are canceled.

    Today’s call from a paper is to say that this time the council decided to fire the city treasurer, then waited five days to make public the vote on this matter.  Perhaps these council members cannot count to 72 (as in hours before such a vote MUST be made public under Section 610.021 (3).)    Well, I suppose if they can’t read (as in read the law), we can hardly expect they are capable of counting to 72.

     But there’s more!  They’re even prohibiting some citizens from attending public meetings!  These are public meetings, folks.  Just what do you think the word “public” means?

    Well, if they can’t read the sunshine law, I don’t suppose I can expect them to read the law that says the council persons cannot elect a new mayor.  No, they didn’t elect a mayor pro tem, they voted to elect a new mayor.  It says so right in their minutes.

    You know, we all have to pass a test before we are allowed to drive a car.  When we run a stop sign, no one excuses us from the penalty just because we didn’t know the rule.  When we speed, no one excuses us because we didn’t know the speed limit.

    It’s time for public accountability among those who are responsible for the governing process in Missouri, from top to bottom.  One of my clients repeatedly reminds me the oath of office a public official takes should mean something.  How true!