“advice of counsel”

Original Intent of the meeting: “At the request of the Electric City Power Board members, we would like to schedule a meeting in the next couple of weeks with the Commission and the Board to discuss the City’s electricity business going forward and the roles and relationships of the City, ECP, and Southern Montana Electric.”

Mayor Stebbins intent for the meeting: “I would like to keep this as an informational exchange meeting and discussion for ECP and the Commission, lest it become a free-for–all, with uninformed and under-informed participants weighing in.”

Commissioner Jolleys intent for the meeting: “Is not the meeting to be held so that we and the public may become informed?”

And Mary had a question, “What is the status of the Freedom of Information Suit against the city? Have we responded? I haven’t seen anything.”

I will note, on none of those emails was the City Attorney listed on “From” “To” or “cc”.

(We now interrupt this blog for sarcasm. Repeat, Sarcasm Alert. If you are an easily insulted weenie, who believes the City is doing nothing wrong, you should stop right now and go back to your rainbows and unicorns and fluffy ice cream flavored castles.)

Why would one be concerned about an informational meeting regarding issues that should be of great concern to the City and citizens? Why would one even need advice of counsel for a meeting between The City and, well, the City? Someone afraid that one of these two very public, open to the public, entities might say or reveal something not so public?  Oh, the horror! Someone might learn something! We must stop this sharing of information!

And that Jolley! What nerve, to request information about the Freedom of Information case! And just as expected, that uppity lawyer who always sticks his damn nose in our secret Public things requested Public Records from the Court, and those Clerk people give stuff out like it’s ok to give people Public Information or something, so now he is asking more questions about our secret Public stuff and now the newspapers think we should give out secret Public information, to the public no less! and if this keeps up, our secret Public stuff may be made Public, and get published in newspapers and stuff!

Stop the meeting! No information for the Public! It is our secret Public stuff, not the Publics. My God if we were to tell the public our secret stuff they might be more informed, and form opinions based on facts, and we cannot let that happen! And, and, and our stuff wouldn’t be freakin’ secret!
Don’t let them take away our secret stuff! It is ours and it is secret! We even have a box for it, in the basement, where it can’t get out in the light! We call it our Secret Box, and. it. is. secret.!
Not for them!
Usss!
It’ss Ours my preciousss, ourss!

We now return you to your regulary scheduled blogging.

10 January 2009 | Life | Comments