It seems that City Clerk Donna Johnson has a problem hearing Mr. Wogen’s name anytime a citizen says it. If you attend the City Council meetings and then read Ms. Johnson’s minutes of those meetings you may wonder if you were in the same room.
Let me give a recent example in addition to the ones already described on this site. On June 11th, Frances Loubere made an eloquent and impassioned statement directly to Mr. Wogen during the public comments portion of the regular city council meeting. She cited specific comments that Mr. Wogen had said to her in the past.
An example is the following quote from her statement: "You assured me that you are not anti-gay and had affirmed this with leaders in the gay community." Followed by "I suggested you make your position public and you agreed this was an excellent idea. You reiterated this on May 14th when you approached me in the hallway, prior to this meeting." She added: "So, I ask these questions, again - for the public record."
Then, for the first time, Mr. Wogen actually responded at the end of the meeting when council members make their final statements. He said (and I paraphrase from what I heard because unfortunately our city clerk Ms. Johnson chose not to record all of what he said) that he would like to move on and that he was not anti-gay, and that if he had been on the council at the time then he would have voted the same as Kapitan (opposing discrimination against gays).
In other words, Alderman Wogen could also be considered "pro-gay," - a serious contradiction since he used this issue against Kapitan on the slanderous mailer during the campaign.
Yet here is how our city clerk summarized Frances Loubere's statements and Mr. Wogen's response in the minutes of June 11th:
"L. Citizen's Comments - Ms. Frances Loubere spoke regarding the results of the recent 3rd Ward Election. "
"M. Reports Communications - Ald. Wogen responded to comments made by Ms. Frances Loubere. he noted he would like to get past the issue, move on and do a good job for the 3rd Ward, and hopefully all can move forward together."
I don’t think there is any doubt what is happening here with our public record. The city clerk has taken it upon herself to be judge and censor of what is allowed into the public record and what is not. And the rubber stamp council just goes along approving the lies of omission.
I hope those who have spoken so far about the issue of Mr. Wogen’s shameful behavior take their comments to the city council again with copies to hand out to everyone present and to the city clerk of their statement and that they read their statements again for the public record. Only this time I hope that all four do it on the same night. Because Ms. Johnson obviously didn’ t hear what I heard.
Also, if you listen closely you may hear what I hear. The fabric of democracy unraveling in DeKalb. You may post this on your site if you wish or post it under comments.
Let me give a recent example in addition to the ones already described on this site. On June 11th, Frances Loubere made an eloquent and impassioned statement directly to Mr. Wogen during the public comments portion of the regular city council meeting. She cited specific comments that Mr. Wogen had said to her in the past.
An example is the following quote from her statement: "You assured me that you are not anti-gay and had affirmed this with leaders in the gay community." Followed by "I suggested you make your position public and you agreed this was an excellent idea. You reiterated this on May 14th when you approached me in the hallway, prior to this meeting." She added: "So, I ask these questions, again - for the public record."
Then, for the first time, Mr. Wogen actually responded at the end of the meeting when council members make their final statements. He said (and I paraphrase from what I heard because unfortunately our city clerk Ms. Johnson chose not to record all of what he said) that he would like to move on and that he was not anti-gay, and that if he had been on the council at the time then he would have voted the same as Kapitan (opposing discrimination against gays).
In other words, Alderman Wogen could also be considered "pro-gay," - a serious contradiction since he used this issue against Kapitan on the slanderous mailer during the campaign.
Yet here is how our city clerk summarized Frances Loubere's statements and Mr. Wogen's response in the minutes of June 11th:
"L. Citizen's Comments - Ms. Frances Loubere spoke regarding the results of the recent 3rd Ward Election. "
"M. Reports Communications - Ald. Wogen responded to comments made by Ms. Frances Loubere. he noted he would like to get past the issue, move on and do a good job for the 3rd Ward, and hopefully all can move forward together."
I don’t think there is any doubt what is happening here with our public record. The city clerk has taken it upon herself to be judge and censor of what is allowed into the public record and what is not. And the rubber stamp council just goes along approving the lies of omission.
I hope those who have spoken so far about the issue of Mr. Wogen’s shameful behavior take their comments to the city council again with copies to hand out to everyone present and to the city clerk of their statement and that they read their statements again for the public record. Only this time I hope that all four do it on the same night. Because Ms. Johnson obviously didn’ t hear what I heard.
Also, if you listen closely you may hear what I hear. The fabric of democracy unraveling in DeKalb. You may post this on your site if you wish or post it under comments.
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