It seems that several Southport City councilors continue to make attempts at justifying their actions at the council meeting Sept. 18. It is obvious that they are trying to justify what they did due to their own guilt.
All of these councilors were aware of tort claims that were filed two years ago and the subsequent complaint filed this March. Knowing this, they still voted to elect me president pro tempore.
None of the councilors are required to attend the board meetings, which exist to give recommendations to the council at council meetings. I am the only councilor who works a full-time job, yet I am still happy to make time for the citizens when they call me with concerns.
The problem is that the councilors feel that the rules do not apply to them. They have separated themselves from the citizens with their elitist attitudes. They are bound by Robert’s Rules through Southport’s ordinance passed in 2013 and by Indiana Code 36-1-3-6. It is clear that they failed to do this. Without the rule of law we are left with chaos, and the Sept. 18 meeting was a perfect example of this.
Let this also serve as a reminder to each of these councilors that meeting about council business in secret with a quorum is illegal.
Everything they did during the Sept. 18 meeting was illegal or void by Southport’s rules. They needed four votes to remove a president, not to mention a valid reason for doing so. Each of them are already on the record admitting that they only took action because they were upset that I spoke out publicly against injustice.
It is also disturbing that they behave as though they hold positions of privilege and power and not of service. Each councilor has dishonored their oath of office. They have betrayed the trust of the entire city and proven that they cannot even follow their own agenda, ordinances or laws.
I do not work for the Southport elitists. I work for the citizens. I refuse to whitewash votes and turn a blind eye to unlawful or malicious antics. It is time for Southport to drain its own swamp.
Shara B. Hostetler
Southport City councilor