meeting of the voters *is* a meeting of the people
April 25, 2008 at 4:18 pm | In barnstable, barnstable town council, capeCOG, centerville, council president janet joakim, janet joakim, janet swain joakim, municpal politics |Tags: janet joakim, meeting of the people, meeting of the voters, town charter, town council, town of barnstable
See related links at the bottom of this post….
This week’s Barnstable Patriot includes a story and a particularly harsh and personal letter to the editor about the upcoming meeting of the voters that each leave out important information about this meeting.
The petition that was turned in to us compelled the council to take actions that were outside of the parameters of the charter. There was discussion about whether we could argue that the petition itself was invalid.
During a council meeting we had a discussion in a “committee of the whole” where we studied the findings of the town attorney and I shared that I believed we should hold the meeting regardless, and the majority of the council agreed and voted to support scheduling a meeting.
The meeting is open to all registered voters. There have been requests from people who are not registered voters but who own homes who would like to speak to tax issues and we are still discussing this, but may need to limit this to registered voters. This does not mean others cannot attend, they just might not be able to take part in discussions.
We will not turn away voters who wants to discuss issues outside of those listed on the petition, but we will only have staff available to answer the questions on the petition. Any other comments will be noted, but we most likely won’t be prepared to respond.
This meeting is for the voters of Barnstable, for the people we represent, not for a select group. The group that initiated this petition tend to appear threatening to some but the issues we will discuss involve everyone in this town, and we encourage all who are interested to attend.
We have hired Bruce Gilmore, who is a town meeting moderator, to moderate discussion. The meeting was scheduled within the past two weeks and not before because we have to focus our schedules first on the Town of Barnstable’s budget. I believe making the budget process a priority is what people would prefer.
I have heard from many people who have something to say about the items on the petition, and a few people who would like to come and discuss issues not on the petition, issues that might otherwise not be brought to our attention in public. We will not turn any registered voter away who wishes to speak on items not on the petition so long as the issues are within the council’s purview.
Please come to the Knight Auditorium on May 6, at 6pm and take part in a discussion with your town councilors.
more discussion on this issue:
precinct three truth - open meeting of the voters and a lying blogger
http://barnstablebeat.blogspot.com/2008/04/whats-your-opinion-8.html
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From Taryn Thoman’s Blog yesterday (Taryn is the person who collected signatures for this meeting):
Thoman factually stated - In an effort to diminish the power of the body politic and strength of the individual vote, Janet Joakim in her blog arrogantly re-labeled and redefined the official term in the town charter of a “meeting of the voters” as a “meeting of the people.” …..and she went on from there. While she has every reason to make the issue personal, her letter is not. The fact that Joakim and her tiny confederacy of dunces take it personally and make personal attacks speaks to their tragic immaturaty.
Comment by Anonymous — April 28, 2008 #
Once again - these people are out to trash the town we all live in.
Who is this woman and what the heck is going on here? How can they continue to put such trash on the internet? Is this stuff legal?
Comment by Anonymous — April 28, 2008 #
To put it as simply as I can, “TT” is funny. “Tragic immaturity” should tell us all just how unaware and detached from reality she really is.
Comment by Anonymous — April 28, 2008 #
Why wasn’t Greg Milne at the clean-up of the streets in his neighborhood?
Where was he on saturday morning while his constituents were picking up trash in his precinct.
Greg Milne - file a lawsuit to serve to elected office, when he doesn’t even serve one.
Comment by Where was GREG — April 29, 2008 #
To the first commentor-
the newspaper today gave credit to lopez, but you are right he wasn’t collecting signatures or turning in the petitions.
Comment by JSJ — April 29, 2008 #
I know it is hard for you to see this from your point of view right now, but most people in town are on to these people and see them for who they really are. Gary Lopez has been at this for years and has lost credibility with every public appearance he made. He has yet to win any of his costly lawsuits.
You are doing a good job and we all apreciate it. But people just aren’t paying attention to all of this. We are all just trying to pay our bills. You have to wonder how most of these people are able to pay their own bills with the time they spend on this stuff.
Milly Billy
Comment by Anonymous — April 29, 2008 #
“TT”is funny.
https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=4576052539420116439&postID=4144879177819375128
Comment by Anonymous — April 29, 2008 #
Janet,
Who did tbe blog referred to by the leaving hyannis commentor?
That is just awful.
Saying a prayer for you and your family.
KT
Comment by Anonymous — April 30, 2008 #
Woah!
Just checked again, there is some horrible stuff on that website! Who are these people why is it all so personal? Is this another COG thing?
KT
Comment by Anonymous — April 30, 2008 #
Hey “KT”!!
How are “MT” and the little “T”s? LOL
That website is done by Taryn Thoman the person who was the petitioner for this meeting.
The kids are OK, the stuff isn’t showing up on the Internet via searches much, we took care of that.
It was worse there for a while.
Yes, she is a frequent presence on lopez’s blog …. which is still active despite newspaper reports of its demise.
Give me a call. I didn’t publish your email link from your comment.
Comment by JSJ — April 30, 2008 #
Does Greg Milne still want the town to pay for his personal lawyers? Does he want to use tax-payer money to pay for his coffee at his “coffee hour?” Does he want the tax-payers to pay for his gas to drive to the court to file the charges against the town? Does he want tax-payer money to fund his clothing budget so he has a new suit to wear to court? Does he want tax-payer money to pay for his campaign for the county seat because he wasn’t allowed to take the charter seat? Where will it end?
Comment by Anonymous — April 30, 2008 #
Seems the Cogsta’s are still going to try to have Julius facilitate the meeting by facilitating the audience.
Comment by Anonymous — April 30, 2008 #
Guess Taryn is reading this blog because I got a call from a family member telling me she created another website about one of my kids, just one of them, using a photo she copied from a blog we set up for the girls. I think she assumes she has chosen the older of the two so it is ok to taunt her. It is all very sick, really.
Comment by JSJ — May 2, 2008 #
How about someone starting a web-site designed for her child? If it is “OK” for her then it should be “OK” for you? Although I do realize that Taryn is a bit “off” Starting a site about her child would only cause her to yell “CHILD ABUSE.” She is in a word “SICK”
Comment by Anonymous — May 2, 2008 #
I don’t think any of us would ever sink that low.
Each day she sinks lower and lower.
Comment by JSJ — May 3, 2008 #
Got home from a long day out to find several messages on my blog, in my email, and on my phone.
Seems a local businessman had a check of mine that was returned years ago posted on a wall. For $45. I didn’t know about it, don’t have a record of it… $45, I would have paid him.
He gave the check to taryn thoman who then copied it and posted it all over lopez’s blogs and apparently several other blogs she has going about my family etc…
I had a disagreement with this business person about an order 10 years ago. I won’t share the details of that disagreement, as that was between he and I. He does a lot of business with schools and other local organizations. And, just like he did with this check, I didn’t even tell him the whole issue, just donated the stuff.
Despite the fact there is some attempt at telling the story on Lopez’s site, the story lopez tells is all wrong. (I never ordered a $300 uniform.)
I didn’t read it all but one of the messages said there is actually a comment about my mother somewhere in his story. My mother does’t live around here, and has nothing to do with any of this, beyond what she has stumbled on on the internet. She has more important things to worry about right now.
So we will go to his store and thank him for this new way of letting people know they had a check returned, and pay him. Perhaps we will get copies of the other checks he has posted from others who have cut it too close, and let those people know what they are in for. Seems like small claims or a collection agency would work. I had to use collection agencies in my own business, and they simply take a cut, it keeps the losses down and gives people a chance to make good in installments.
Further, a while back when she was running for charter commission, someone left a post about our check copying friend on my blog. I think if gave details of some unpaid bills, various leins etc that are attributed to her directly, all public record. I might have deleted it but one of the emails I received tonight gives details of all of this again.
Lopez hasn’t got leins because despite his “fight for the home-owners”, he isn’t one. He doesn’t own a home here in Barnstable. Several people have done that research.
There is more to that story, but I haven’t wanted to get any further into the gutter with these people.
It makes it safer to libel when you have no property at stake. As other have learned in past examinations of his blog, it seems that attorney’s won’t work on contigency if there is no property to collect from, thus making a civil suit costly for those who file.
But, after a quick look at that mess he has posted, and thoman’s part in it, it is time to examine each case again, in a future post that will be something about black pots and kettles.
Comment by JSJ — May 3, 2008 #
Spoke to Damon of AE today for quite a while - he told me he didn’t talk to lopez, spoke to taryn but didn’t say the things she quotes him as saying and is somewhat regretful.
The story as told today is not true. I am not going into it any further because it will just become fodder for the crazies.
Except to say that he would really take a hit as a small business man who has 20 people working for him, if we were to put the split tax into place - he would have to pay an additional $1500 - $2000 and the benefit of between $25-$50 demonstrates what that would do to the small business owner.
Comment by JSJ — May 5, 2008 #
Interesting that Damon C from AE said he didn’t tell Thoman what she had posted on Lopez’s blogs, her blogs and the her blogs about my younger daughter….
it is all still there. Spoke to my mother-in-law last night, she sat behind thoman and watched her tape me and the people who agreed with her, but not tape anyone who was opposed to her…
My mother-in-law told me she has never been to AE and has no clue what these people are talking about.
Comment by JSJ — May 7, 2008 #
Wait a minute! You expect us to believe that Taryn Thoman was video taping someone and that she was also being less than truthful by making things up and telling blatant lies? Are you sure that you do not have her confused with someone else? There should be NO confusion, this is how she operates. Perhaps she can now go and get a life? THE END
Comment by Anonymous — May 8, 2008 #
That meeting was a waste of taxpayer money.
Comment by Anonymous — May 10, 2008 #