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Thank you Wayne 11
Topic Started: Nov 3 2007, 05:33 PM (699 Views)
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A Special Meeting was held on December 17th, 2003, one hour prior to the start of the Regular Council meeting at 8:00pm. The following is the transcript of Mrs. Brosnan’s discussion that Wayne 11, so thoughtfully posted on You Tube. Thank you Wayne 11 for bringing this out for many to see. However, I do believe it was incorrectly titled in your posting.


Mrs. Brosnan: Mr. Chair, Just to get things started here…I would like to…to those who have participated in this and have stuck with us through the course of this discussion, I want to thank you.
This is truly unfortunate that this is coming at the last meeting that I would have a chance to serve on with this city council, because I do consider the Special Meeting of December 17, 2003 to be one of this city’s darkest hours. It was a true hour.
I think that when Mr. Williams came up and asked, ‘when was the meeting notice posted?’ just began the snowball of questions that ought to arise as a result of the discussion that took place. The fact that, granted, perhaps legally, our Ordinances and our Charter and our Open Meetings Act were used. They were used perhaps legally, but we’ll check into that in the future. They were used, specifically to undermine a process that has served the city oh so, so well over the years.
A process whereby the community that bears the burden of paying for things like a fire truck has an opportunity to offer their input. This meeting was called to circumvent that, it was called to circumvent the incoming mayors power to exercise his right to veto. I think that’s just deplorable. Livonia residents ought to be embarrassed, council members who voted and allowed it to happen ought to be embarrassed!
I think those who came forward raised some really good questions, “Was this put out to bid?”, one of the gentlemen asked. “Are we sure that this was the very lowest bid?” I don’t know that (those questions were necessarily answered with any type of documentation) that proves to me that those facts are true.
And I know that there are those that believe that we ought to just trust our city employees, but you know they’re human. Sometimes they make mistakes. Sometimes they get bad information.
Is there anything inherently wrong with asking more questions? With asking for just a little bit more proof? That’s our job! The minute that we stop asking those questions; the minute that we just roll over; is the minute that we ought to cease electing council members. Because, we’re all just sitting up here simply as rubber stamps. And that’s what we saw happen tonight. We saw a group of rubber stamps.
When I said that this machine was well greased before we got to this meeting tonight, trust me, it was. There was no opportunity for give and take in discussing this issue. Everything was already given. Everything was already decided.
So this is a sad, sad way to end almost 9 years of public service of having to sit through that hour of just, unbelievable, undermining of our democratic process. If it didn’t violate the letter of the law, it blasted the spirit of it right out of the Charter. I am saddened, that this is what we’ve come to tonight. I am sure that many of you that are just as equally disappointed as I am. I would encourage you to let those council members that have disappointed you, to let them know they have disappointed you. Thank you.

Brosnan Opposes Fire Truck
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFpIy13H52g

A more fitting title would have been
Brosnan Opposes Special Meeting
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yrraH NS
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What a travesty!

How dare she ask MORE questions. :o

:rolleyes:

No wonder the Fire Fighters ARE endorsing her.
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Deleted User
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The minutes as documented in the Regular Meeting on that same evening, do not detail Mrs. Brosnan's comments, regarding the Special Meeting held one hour earlier.

http://www.ci.livonia.mi.us/default.asp?ar...dex=26&NC=7211X

MINUTES OF THE ONE THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED THIRD
REGULAR MEETING OF DECEMBER 17, 2003

C5 673-03 Resolved,
The discussion regarding the special meeting held just one hour earlier continues, this time from members in the audience.

------

Mr. Laura's comments heard on You Tube seem contradictory to the votes that took place during the Special Meeting.
Brosnan did indeed object to several motions, as did Taylor and Engebretson. Laura, Knapp, Dolan and Vandersloot.

http://ci.livonia.mi.us/default.asp?area_2...dex=25&NC=7613X
City Council
MINUTES OF THE TWO HUNDRED FORTY-FIRST
SPECIAL MEETING OF DECEMBER 17, 2003

Again thank you to Wayne 11 for helping to clarify the twisted accusation volleyed at Mrs. Brosnan.
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mmmmkay?
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What I see is a public servant doing the job they were elected to do...question. It is much the same with the BOE, rubber stamp everything without question. That is why both our city ans school district are in such a mess. We have to enable those who will take up the challenge.

We need more public representation that will question everything, and accept nothing, until all proof is given.

Having a "regime" in control is the most damaging thing any community can endure. No voice, No say, No representation, No controls, No constituent involvement, Just do as I say and go right along with the status quo.

Scary. very very scary. Looks like we are heading towards a totalitarianism type of society.

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Mrs.M
Veteran
Does anyone have a video clip of the special meeting? Was the special meeting even televised? Recorded minutes don't seem to do justice to what transpired.

It is commendable also on Joe Laura's part to support Maureen Brosnan. He too defended his past years with more than 1200 meetings and his beliefs and practices of doing was what morally right.

If more people did what was morally right, we may not find ourselves in certain predicaments.
I'd agree with you, but then we'd both be WRONG.
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Mrs.M
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Morally right.. I know that phrase carries a lot of meaning and weight. I probably shouldn't have used it in the above post's last sentence but then on second thought, what the heck.



Climbing down now.
I'd agree with you, but then we'd both be WRONG.
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Deleted User
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Numerous votes recorded as to move the fire truck purchase to a Committe of the Whole; whether to have competitve bidding (which appears as having not occurred)

http://ci.livonia.mi.us/default.asp?area_2...index=24&NC=70X

MINUTES OF THE ONE THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED SECOND
REGULAR MEETING OF DECEMBER 3, 2003


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