Sikes-Kline wants to regulate cordiality

Once again, Historic City News observed that the City of St Augustine will be investing time and money and the resources of the City Attorney, this time at the request of commissioner Nancy Sikes-Kline; because, she says, more needs to be done to restrict the comments made during the three-minutes citizens are allowed to address the commissioners during public meetings.

Her concern is, “one particular speaker was singling out one particular commissioner, and criticizing one particular commissioner.” The “particular speaker” Sikes-Kline was referring to was citizen advocate Ed Slavin; who was gaveled by Mayor Shaver when he suggested that Commissioner Todd Neville may have a mental condition that causes him to behave as aggressively as he does.

“In order to be more civil and to be more compassionate, treating others as we would treat ourselves, I think it would be a nice policy, at least to consider,” Sikes-Kline said during commissioner comments at the end of Monday night’s meeting.

Sikes-Kline says she wants citizens to address the commission as a whole, not as individuals, “so that we don’t kind of get into what, where, we ended up tonight.”

As the commissioner was comparing her vision for civility to her understanding of a similar policy currently in place at the county, she was interrupted by City Attorney, Isabelle C Lopez — not to interject concerns for the infringement of a citizen’s absolute right to peacefully assemble and seek redress of grievances from its government, but to inform her that she already has a draft ordinance typed up.

“Commissioner Neville knows that I’ve got a draft of Rules of Decorum for you, at your pleasure, if you want that at the next meeting,” Lopez said. “I’d love that,” was Sikes-Kline’s reply.

“It’s something I’ve mentioned a couple of times; but, this is really specific to you, Madame Mayor, since you run the meetings,” Sikes-Kline said. “I feel like, at the county, that’s their policy.”

Slavin said, after the meeting, the City of St Augustine has a real problem with the First Amendment of the US Constitution. “They’re back in court with the artists over their already tested rights to express themselves through art in public places,” Slavin said. “Then after Commissioner Neville tried, unsuccessfully, to silence the editor of Historic City News, and now, Sikes-Kline wanting to further limit a citizen’s right to address their commissioners during open meetings, they have become growingly unpopular elected officials.”