Summary of the Daily Planet article titled “Mayor berated For Refusal to Let Disabled Speak Early at Council Meeting.”
In a November 6, 2007 City Council meeting, “Mayor Tom Bates refused a request by Councilmember Dona Spring to allow the issue of the warm pool, a swimming pool heated especially for the needs of frail seniors and disabled people, to be heard early in the evening.
“’ There are a lot of elderly and disabled folks here to talk about the warm water pool. Could we take that up as the first item so that they can make their comments and then go home?’ Spring asked the mayor, explaining, ‘They’ve got rides waiting for them?’”
But Mayor Bates refused to allow the people to speak early. Bates assured Spring that the item “should be [heard] relatively soon.” After three hours, the warm water pool was addressed. By this time, “at least five people who wanted to address the council had left the meeting, according to Joann Cook, who co-chairs One Warm Pool, the group advocating for the facility.
“’[Bates] was so disrespectful,’ Cook told the Planet on Friday, stating further that she had noted the time the mayor used for his ‘pet’ solar-financing issue. “He boasted about his idea for 37 minutes,” she said.”
In a November 6, 2007 City Council meeting, “Mayor Tom Bates refused a request by Councilmember Dona Spring to allow the issue of the warm pool, a swimming pool heated especially for the needs of frail seniors and disabled people, to be heard early in the evening.
“’ There are a lot of elderly and disabled folks here to talk about the warm water pool. Could we take that up as the first item so that they can make their comments and then go home?’ Spring asked the mayor, explaining, ‘They’ve got rides waiting for them?’”
But Mayor Bates refused to allow the people to speak early. Bates assured Spring that the item “should be [heard] relatively soon.” After three hours, the warm water pool was addressed. By this time, “at least five people who wanted to address the council had left the meeting, according to Joann Cook, who co-chairs One Warm Pool, the group advocating for the facility.
“’[Bates] was so disrespectful,’ Cook told the Planet on Friday, stating further that she had noted the time the mayor used for his ‘pet’ solar-financing issue. “He boasted about his idea for 37 minutes,” she said.”
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