Friday round up

Christeen Stone has a letter in the current Lillie Newspapers, 'Real Progress':

...What I have seen recently of a contract drawn up and signed by Mayor Longrie (and Copeland} with its dispargement clause for $100,000 if anyone says anything bad about him makes me think the mayor doesn't have the welfare of Maplewood in mind. I personally feel very betrayed as a citizen by such a contract. Because the wheels of justice are now in motion, I will trust that justice will be served....

Jim Llanas gets acquainted with Maplewood Planning Commissioner Robert Martin in the latest Speaking for You interview series entry.

In the end we are all neighbors.

Elizabeth Mohr writes in the 2/15/2008 Pioneer Press: Maplewood City Council to consider change in format of contentious public forums. Contentious sessions criticized; council may change policy

It's not uncommon for Maplewood City Council meetings to be standing-room-only events. But the real fun doesn't start until Mayor Diana Longrie's gavel goes down.
Attendees heckle, yell, snicker, boo, cheer and clap. They mumble when certain speakers approach the microphone. They shout "suggestions" at City Council members. Public commentary can easily eat up an hour of meeting time. And some of them don't even live or work in Maplewood.

Council Member Will Rossbach has proposed that the council limit visitor presentations to Maplewood residents and business owners because the system "is not functioning in the manner in which it was intended." He said the public forum is often rife with non-city issues and personal attacks.

The council will consider the issue at its Feb. 25 meeting, possibly changing the way the public forums operate.
...
Rossbach said he realizes his initial proposal might be a bit overreaching. The American Civil Liberties Union sent him a letter outlining what restrictions on public speech are acceptable and what are not.

"I have received numerous e-mails and phone calls from people in Maplewood who say, 'Why don't you do something about visitor presentations?' " he said.

"So I set out to do something, and I set out in the wrong direction."

Instead, he will suggest that visitor presentations occur before the City Council meeting starts, he said.
...