It’s hard to write too much after late meetings, but I did manage to get some video, once seated.
In under seven minutes of nearly continuous footage, a lot happens – pretty indicative of how the night went. It begins with Dottie Gutenkauf’s disappointment concerning the rejection of the Mayor’s desired budget, evolves into a City Council discussion of the necessity (or lack thereof) of a full-time Public Information Officer, and finishes with Bridgette Rivers threatening to have those who speak out of turn removed.
Plainfield View 
Council President Rivers comes to the meeting with a preconceived agenda and her mind made up. She’s got the bully pulpit and the gavel, but loses her cool over a few words made as much to the person sitting next to me as to the public at large. She just doesn’t want to be called out on the gross distortions she and some of her colleagues are trying to put over on us. I was hardly disruptive in any sense of the word. Be that as it may. The bottom line is she’s more concerned about meeting protocol than meeting results. She’s more concerned with the rules of her authority, than the rules and ordinances the City Council should be trying to uphold. Has she ever concerned herself with the contract fraud of the PMUA Inter Local Agreement with the City? Is she ever concerned about the city ordinance pertaining to PMUA commissioner compensation? The looting of $270,000 of CSBG funds? The conflicts of interest like the parking lot at Central and 2nd, or the Leland Ave. demolition? Nope! Only $7 or $8, and a few barely audible words, not the millions we pay because of a lack of accountability, and the millions we lose looking backwards. Such concern is no concern at all
Well said, Alan. I was initially impressed with how Council President Rivers conducted the meetings. I thought her first hear she showed good judgment, and ran the meetings very well.
This year, her obvious dislike of Councilwoman Williams overtakes professional attitude and performance. Her lack of evenhandedness during public comments which she showed last year is no where to be found.
Initially, she showed good leadership skills. Now, it appears she has fallen in line giving following Jerry’s bid. She is a quick study, and she had such promise. It’s a shame.