Civility automatically returned to Sturgeon Bay city government when Thad Birmingham surrendered the reins of power to Mayor David Ward at 3:00 PM April 12, 2019. Admittedly not ashamed in the least to refresh peoples’ memories, I stood up to interrupt the previous mayor during public comment on International Women’s Day in March of 2017, as a single father of a special needs daughter, while witnessing first hand a loud and abusive tirade being foisted upon a female city resident by the common council chairperson, falsely refuting and screaming his denial at her, over her correct, accurate, polite and factual assertion that the city was attempting to illegally sell public land to a prospective hotel developer, while disregarding the public trust doctrine of the state constitution.
This same young woman and mother was being threatened around that time period, with a SLAPP suit for telling the truth about then city governance and the WRA closed session machinations, disregarding any pretense to oaths of office or protecting and defending the state constitution. The acronym SLAPP abbreviates the phrase, Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation. Essentially “shut up or we’ll come after you, big time,” psychological abuse to retain unquestioned power and control.
As a sincere and polite challenge to you, Mayor Ward, kindly explain or clearly define one example of the incivility that you inferred exists, campaigned against and for which you intend to fix. You’ve got the exclusive floor for three years with most of the local media. Essentially where is or what specifically was the problem? Constituent city residents fail all litmus tests for exhibiting incivility. I’m seeing nothing but a perpetrated myth from your campaigning and possibly an intentional clear diversion from problems such as financial realities. A successful divide and conquer theme on your part.
Regardless, here’s wishing you the best to correct the numerous financial investment mistakes for which you are now charged with oversight, such as an $850K construction loan plus interest for city taxpayers to pay for out of their own pockets directly to the Bay Lofts LLC. This debt was committed to by common councils “serving,” prior to April 17, 2018. Any specific plans for a taxpayer ROI (Return on Investment) report there?
Hearing specific plans for your professional economic insights into taxpayer return on their forced investment appeared nowhere in your campaigning, but, I agree whole-heartedly that you are likely the best choice, the person immediately available locally, possessing the knowledge and expertise to explain and possibly correct and steer to an enlightened and fairly attained, taxpayer funded equitable ROI for all of Sturgeon Bay’s residents. With eyes and ears to learn from you and no clear plans from you about how you intend to fulfill your campaign promises, the public, including myself, are eager to learn from the self-professed master of economics and civility?
