Maybe the Bentonville City Council should consider changing the city’s name to “Bullyville.”
That name seems appropriate, at least if you go by the behavior of some public oft cials at the council’s last meeting on April 24.
I wasn’t there, but I’ve been informed enough by our reporter on the scene that evening to know it wasn’t pretty.
In case you missed it, let’s review. The main subject of the meeting was sanitation services. The city’s current fi ve-year contract with Allied Waste Services expires in September.
Bentonville has contracted with Allied Waste since 1972 - the last time the service went out for bidding. State law requires public bidding for services that cost more than $20,000 unless “not feasible or practical.”
I’m not sure what’s unfeasible or impractical about bidding out the trash service. Mayor Bob McCaslin, however, has insisted the city receives great service from Allied.
He apparently sees no need to switch gears, or even to bid out the service, if only to explore other options.
But at the meeting, several representatives from competing trash companies told the council they could provide similar services and at cheaper rates.
One person who sought to speak was Kristi Hunter, an attorney with theHutchinson Law Group.
You see, several months ago the Hutchinson Law Group sent McCaslin a letter urging the city to put trash services out for bidding.
The law fi rm represents an as-yet unidentifi ed group concerned about the costs of trash hauling in Bentonville.
Eddie Austin, Ward 3 alderman, didn’t let Hunter get very far. She barely had opened her mouth when Austin demanded she reveal the group she was representing. Hunter replied she didn’t have permission to disclose that information.
“Why should you be ashamed of who you represent?” Austin asked.
He even started banging on the table, according to our reporter.
Then there was Jim Grider, Ward 4 alderman, who plainly told Hunter he would disregard anything she had to say. (Someone get that man a pair ofearmuffs so he won’t be bothered every time another lawyer gets up to speak.)
As the questioning of Hunter became more heated, Alderman Shane Perry asked for a call to order. Finally, McCaslin told Hunter to sit down. She wasn’t able to get a word in edgewise.
Talk about a cold shoulder. You’d think Bobby Petrino had come in and requested the city throw a parade in his honor on Main Street.
So much for encouraging public participation in government, eh? Sorry, but “bullying” is the only accurate description of the way the council treated Hunter, who was driven to tears. Congratulationscouncil, you made a woman cry!
Would I like to know whom Hunter and her law fi rm represent? Sure, but it hardly matters. She had every right to be heardand she deserved the same respect other speakers got that night.
By the way, this is the same council that just voted to increase its pay - starting in 2013 - by 44 percent.
The city of Bentonville’s mission statement reads, in part: “In partnership with the community, we pledge to deliver municipal services in a professional, personal, responsive manner.” There was nothing professional about the way Austin and Grider acted April 24. Personal?
Responsive? Um, no and no.
To be fair, most of the council members acted like adults. Bill Burckart told our reporter he was “disturbed by the belittlement.” He also pointed out Hunter “represented a fi rm hired by a concerned group of citizens on an evening open for discussion.” Perry said later his call to order was not intended to silenceHunter; he also wanted to hear her.
Too bad that, when McCaslin told Hunter to sit down, not one alderman spoke up on her behalf, with words to this eff ect: “Excuse me, Mayor, but Ms.
Hunter came here to tell us something, and we owe it to her to listen.”
This newspaper’s editorial board recently interviewed a candidate for the Legislature who promised to “speak less and listen more.” It’s by no means a novel concept coming from a politician, but it sure sounds good.
Maybe that candidate could teach the Bentonville City Council a few things. If, that is, they’d let her speak.
The council’s next meeting is Tuesday. Let’s strive for a little more civility, shall we?
DAVE PEROZEK IS EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR FOR NORTHWEST ARKANSAS NEWSPAPERS.
Opinion, Pages 15 on 05/06/2012