I drove through Greenville this week to see the old town of my childhood and was sad to see the town so quiet and void of businesses. That night, I saw lights on at City Hall and found a city council meeting in progress. I came in to listen to clues as to what was going on in town.
The council was comprised of three women and two men. I listened as the meeting drug on. They spoke of various things, but mainly they argued and bickered at each other about who spoke out of turn and who interrupted who. The one with the gavel, whom I concluded to be the mayor, had to be prompted as to what to say each time a vote was to be taken. I began to see a pattern each time a new topic was presented.
It seemed as though three council members ran the show and knew what direction they intended to head. Each issue seemed to be news to the other two council members, who would question where they were getting their information, for it had not been discussed at previous meetings. These questions were met with silence by the other three. It was evident the three had met previous to the meeting, planned their agenda, and voted however they pleased, ignoring the other councilmembers’ requests for information and discussion. The two councilmembers who had questioned where the random information came from would object, however they were outnumbered and put down.
One councilmember, who I mentally named “the barker,” as they reminded me of a pit bull, dominated the others with glaring eyes and guttural grunts if anyone went against their plan. The town attorney would attempt to give advice, but “the barker” would put him in his place by telling him that he worked for them and they could do whatever they wanted to do.
I felt sorry for the other two councilmembers as they seemed to be more tuned in to the needs of the community but weren’t given any say during the meeting. They were poorly treated by “the barker,” the mayor, and his cohort.
What was absolutely deplorable, was a citizen complained about her water bill and instead of being met with the faces of concerned council members, she was scolded by the mayor. Basically, he informed her that he had more pressing things to do than waste his time on her issue and he would get back to her later. It was just like the old saying, “Don’t call me, I’ll call you.”
I was getting tired and ready to leave, when the issue of taxes was brought up. The big three argued to raise taxes to the max, while the other two voted to keep them the same. Two business owners in attendance argued that the ones who were trying to help the community were paying the most. They were told by “the barker” that most people would only pay about three dollars more and if they didn’t like it they could sell.
The meeting concluded with a grand stand show by “the barker,” who presented a reprimand to the city clerk that no one in the room really understood. It seemed as though they wanted the clerk to be more subservient to her superiors and to sign the document. The attorney told the clerk that she did not have to sign the reprimand if she did not want to. They were both met with an irate “barker” telling him that they both worked at the council’s pleasure and must obey.
A concerned citizen raised her hand to speak on the matter and, when the mayor saw it, he turned his back to her and refused to acknowledge her. People kept telling him that she had her hand raised. He said he didn’t see what she could possibly have to say that would interest him. The attorney tried to tell him that he should let her speak. At this point the mayor turned to her and screamed at her to keep whatever she had to say in a few words because he wasn’t interested anyway.
Good grief! What a circus I went to that night! As I left the building, I could still hear “the barker” yelling about who knows what. I was so glad to be in the cool night air and away from the stench of that foul meeting. Rudeness, contempt, and an obvious disregard for the Sunshine Law was the theme of the night.
What in the world has happened to Greenville? I think I know.
Billy Rogers