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Vancouver councillor in trouble for shouting at citizen during meeting — in Washington

September 20th, 2010 · 9 Comments

What is it with municipal councillors these days?

At least Mayor Gregor Robertson had the decency to wait until everyone was gone and he thought the mikes had been turned off before he referred to speakers/audience members at a public meeting as “f***ing NPA hacks.” (For the irony-challenged, please spare me your posts about how this is another glaring example of my mindless defence of everything Vision does.)

But this Vancouver, Washington, councillor actually started shouting during a public meeting — all captured on YouTube, of course. Isn’t democracy a wonderful thing these days?

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  • ThinkOutsideABox

    Except that not everyone had left the room. In fact, after Gregor called the meeting adjourned, councillors went to the public seating area to converse with those “@#$%ing hacks”, while Gregor, Tim and Heather stood around the open mic before they were all herded by Penny to an in-camera meeting with some chaps from Millenium.

    And shortly following Tim, Heather and Gregor’s mockery of public speakers, there was some further trash talking in council chambers between two councillors. We just don’t have the benefit of seeing it on the intertubes. Who knew city coucil meetings could be such a source of high drama?

  • ThinkOutsideABox

    And looks like council is back from their summer break tomorrow with a lot of topical motions:

    http://vancouver.ca/ctyclerk/cclerk/20100921/regu20100921ag.htm

    B.4 FD Element Contract

    B.5 Accountability in Spending (that’s to drop the non-tendered threshold back to $30k)

    B.6 Core and Affordable Rental Housing on C-2 Commercial

    B.7 Transparent Neighbourhood Consultation

    With speakers for B.7.

    Buckle up!

  • Bill Lee

    Love the hand-crafted 404 error Fabula message for the Youtube link above.

    I use http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bB2mkAF4Miw to find the short KATU coverage on Jeanne Harris’ mild outburst.

    Also noted on http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39270166/ns/local_news-portland_or/

    And a local radio station
    blogs.1051thebuzz.com/nelsonandterry/2010/09/20/vancouver-councilwomans-outburst-goes-viral/

  • Darren

    Passion for municipal politics is sweeping the continent. Check out Phil Davison, candidate for the Republican nomination for Treasurer of Stark County, Ohio:

  • SV

    Phil Davison FTW.

    That guy is priceless.

  • rf

    A drop from $300,000k to $30,000 again would be pretty funny. It’s like a teenager had their credit card limit raised and then had to have it dialed back when they abused it buying things for all of their buddies.

  • Flowmass1

    The thing with Mayor Robertson’s comment was, for the most part, he was right.
    This will become apparent as we see some of the brave knights of the Kingdom of Nimby charging out of the West End as we near the next civic election, unfurling their NPA banners.
    And they will soon howl in self-righteous protest as the Mayor’s West End Advisory Council makes its recommendations. Poll tax anyone?
    Again, you heard it here first.

  • ThinkOutsideABox

    It actually doesn’t serve a grassroots community group if that’s what you’re alluding, to endorse or be affiliated with a specific political party.

    Particular individuals might, and so what? I understand artist Tiko Kerr, one of those “f__king NPA hacks” who spoke against the Mayor’s West End Advisory Committee supported Gregor in the last election and has a painting of his hanging in the Mayor’s office.

    What will be more interesting is to see if an individual who a councillor contacted to apply ends up on the committee.

  • BLAFFERGASSTED

    But I like catharicism!