Public image of government is important, especially on the local level.

Its important to the city, to its citizens, its businesses and to potential businesses considering the city.

The last three city council meetings are not good visuals, to say the least.

In the regular city council meeting on Tues. April 25 the meeting ended with three long bashing speeches by council members James Green, Tabatha Taylor, and Alan Jackson.

None of the monologues dealt with city business.

They all complained of media coverage they did not like.

The Mon. May 8 work session meeting featured many upset African American citizens who made comments and more in the audience. This is, of course, their right.

Council member Tabatha Taylor is vice chairman, She has delegated the duties of calling up citizens, monitoring the time of comments and maintaining decorum.

Unfortunately Taylor neglected these important duties.

She allowed all of those who spoke more than three minutes as allowed by council rules.

Taylor did NOT correct the audience when they clapped, cheered, and spoke out.

She allowed a speaker to call out a council person by name, which is prohibited by council rules.

Green abused his position as chairman of the council by engaging in a long dialogue with a private citizen. This was the third time in a row that he has bent the council rules in meetings to do this-- on April 24, April 25. and this meeting.

This meeting ended with an ugly exchange by council members Grayson Boucher and Green.

Then Taylor conducted a long monologue that included the word "nigger" as she again rambled and bashed a member of the media.

Who knows what antics will be tolerated at future council meetings and how many times council members will abuse their elected positions to further their own agenda.

Tune in for the next work session on May 22 and regular meeting on May 23.