Big Bad Ed
In Sparks, the city council's latest performance was less about civic duty and more about damage control. On Monday, July 22, 2024, Mayor Lawson played agenda Jenga, removing key items faster than a magician's sleight of hand, one has to wonder: Is this transparency or just making things conveniently opaque?
Whisked away were agenda items 10.3, 10.4, and 10.5 all pertaining to 5Ridges.
Were the items removed to save Councilmembers Kristopher Dahir and Paul Anderson since they have taken a whole lot of campaign donations from 5Ridges, developer Blake Smith and S3Development. This looks so very questionable, how can anyone on the dais truly be representing residents in Sparks, and not privately thinking about the developer first, with the contributions that have been thrown at candidates.
Meanwhile, the public comment section turned into an impromptu wrestling match. An octogenarian's daughter, Gayla Ouellette, armed with words instead of leg sweeps, found herself in a verbal sparring match with the mayor. Apparently, in Sparks, going overtime at public comment is a greater offense than taking down senior citizens. Mayor Lawson pointed out when Ouellette was still speaking that she was “way over time,” had her microphone turned off, finally asked to have her removed by Sparks Police Offices, who escorted her from the microphone.
Ouellette was speaking on behalf of her mother, Maureen Hvegholm, the octogenarian who was leg-swept by a City of Sparks Firefighter. Mrs. Hvegholm is suing the City of Sparks, as she should, the optics of this was awful with a video showing the firefighter taking down Hvegholm in the alley where the incident occurred.
The exchange between Mrs. Ouellette and Mayor Lawson was amusing if only from Ouellette getting Lawson to comment, “this shouting over the council doesn’t help” – “you are overtime ma’am” - “I’ve not been rude” - “officers can I have this lady removed please” …
Really, Ed? City of Sparks staff leg-swept an octogenarian, you’re being sued by her, and why not keep the good times rolling by removing her family members from public comment, if they dare to run over time. Not a good look.
Perhaps at the next meeting, City of Sparks will install trapdoors under the podium - it's quicker than calling the police and far more entertaining. After all, why stop at leg sweeps when you can go full vaudeville?
In the end, one thing is clear: in the City of Sparks, the only thing burning brighter than community spirit is the irony. Who needs fireworks when you've got this much spark in local politics?"
