Here is the City Council Agenda for this past weeks meeting:

Agenda for City Council on October 30, 2012, 06:30 PM

SPECIAL MEETING NOTICE

Notice is hereby given, as required by Rule 6 of the City of Lowell City Council Rules, that the Lowell City Council will hold a Special Meeting of the Lowell City Council in the Council Chambers on Tuesday, OCTOBER 30, 2012 at 6:30 PM. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss matters pertaining to the City Manager, including but not necessarily limited to:

UNFINISHED BUSINESS
1. Ordinance-Amend Ch. 272 re: Annual Sewer Use Charge
CITY MANAGER
2. Vote – Authorization for Greater Lowell Technical High School repair project
3. Capital Plan
- FY 13 Updated
- FY 14-17 Proposed
- Discussion regarding School Facilities

EXECUTIVE SESSION:
4. Executive Session regarding contract negotiations with non-union personnel, City Auditor.

By Order,
Patrick O. Murphy

Michael Q. Geary
City Clerk

So where is the information on this agenda that the City council was going to listen to a Presentation about the Medical marijuana Law by someone in opposition to it along with the Chief of Police?

Where the Pro question 3 people giving the notice that they could speak at the meeting and where was the publics notice so those who are in favor of legalization have the opportunity to be present to present their view ? Why didn’t the City Solicitor who ruled Councilor Elliot was trying to discuss something NOT on the Agenda step up to offer her opinion that this presentation was out of order? Is she required to watch the law be violated unless someone stops and asks her?

Watch the meeting on LTC, at the 1 hour and 1 minute mark ,Councilor Noun asked for a suspension of the rules to allow the Supt. of Lowell Police and Kirsten Doherty to make an announcement about an upcoming Press conference dealing with question 3. The Mayor allowed that and the Council voted to allow it.

However, The Mayor allowed Kristen Doherty an outspoken opponent to that law to read from a prepared speech for 4.5 minutes before the Supt. mentioned the Press Conference. This was not just an announcement on the Press conference, the Supt. took a minute to mention and invite people to it. This was a calculated Anti question 3 commercial by the Mayor and Councilor Nuon.

To me allowing her to read that speech and not once in the 4.5 minutes mention the Press Conference was a clear violation of not only Council Rules but the Open meeting Law.

A City Councilor brought in a person against a ballot question to talk about a Press Conference and under the suspension of the Rules allowed only 1 side to air a 4.5 minute speech on this issue. Where is the Fairness? Why wasn’t she out of order Mr. Mayor?

Yet when Councilor Elliot wanted to talk about something with the Manager which the Agenda stated ” to discuss matters pertaining to the City Manager, including but not necessarily limited to” he was ruled out of order because it was not on the Agenda.

Again it appears the Mayor steps in to protect the Manager from uncomfortable questions and violates the rights of a Councilor to ask questions.

How is allowing a 4.5 minute Speech in opposition to a Ballot question that was not on the agenda, that those in favor of the issue where never notified about so they could speak about their side without the Mayor ruling her out of order allowed by the council or City Solicitor?

Show me where the fairness is? Shame on the other Councilors for allowing him to do that and for allowing themselves to be in violation of the Open Meeting Law.

The Mayor needs to treat EVERYONE Fairly whether he agrees with them or not and this is just another example of him playing fast and loose with the rules.