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A farewell more bitter than sweet
COLUMBIA, Mo 2/19/23 (Beat Byte) -- "People are assholes and cowards," Columbia School Board president David Seamon wrote in a widely-circulated Facebook post this month, about what he has learned from three years in public office.
Seamon, who also ran for Boone County presiding commissioner and Columbia mayor, won the school board seat in 2020 but is not running for re-election this year. His 11-point condemnation of Columbia segregates "the crazies" from "the people you work for," in a community that "has no idea what it wants to be when it grows up."
"Instead of having the difficult conversations, we've decided the best course of action is to shit on public officials and activists," Seamon concluded.
Though Columbia has had more Black elected officials of late, they are still unique, and Seamon believes, uniquely misunderstood.
"Your status as a minority will be celebrated until people disagree with you. Then it's fair game for you and your family to be treated like dogs."
Seamon's list took an even more controversial turn when he brought up a demonic image from the past. "
SeamonThere will come a moment when you think, am I going to have to be lynched before someone does something to help us? For me, it was 2020. That's when I decided everyone can eat shit. I'm doing what I think is best."
In maybe the most ironic passage given the school board's recent actions to constrict public comment and the candidacy filing deadline, which shut out 2023 candidate Chuck Basye until he won a court challenge, Seamon wrote, "Our institutions, to include the public school system, were deliberately designed to exclude, if not harm, most people."
That exclusion, earlier manifested as racial segregation and the basis of equity and inclusion efforts, remains far from a problem solved. "Most voters don't care as long as people from their preferred political party are in control," Seamon wrote. "You're included in this, liberals."
Worries last year that Seamon was being deep-faked through emails to fellow school board members and administrators prompted this writer to contact him for confirmation. As a supporter through his three elections, I was surprised, if not shocked, at the blanket condemnation.
"I did write that. It was on my personal account; the post about being impersonated was on my political page, warning teachers to be wary of suspicious emails from 'me'," Seamon told the Heart Beat. "I’ve appreciated your support."
Voter support notwithstanding, Seamon strongly advises future candidates against running for elected office. "It isn't worth the trauma. But if you're foolish enough to run, I'm telling you to force the public to feel your anger, to see your tears, your frustration, your hopelessness, your sadness, your depression, your rage. Make them witness your humanity. I've done so much and endured so many slights over the past three years so that no one could ever point and say, 'see, I told you he was just another angry negro.'"
Columbia, Mo (Beat Byte) -- Powerful public figures with a penchant for punching CoMo peeps, look out!
A mystery memer named for a libertarian anarchist might spoof you, complete with Nazi paraphernalia, cartoonish costume, or wacky wordplay -- some of it profane -- bubbling out of your mouth.
The Instagram meme artist known as Spoonermeme has been taking Columbia politicians, policy makers, and plain old misbehavors to task for about a year, calling out what he -- or she -- considers boorish behavior.
A Spoonermeme favorite before he lost the Third Ward City Council seat, Karl Skala may have racked up the most appearances, often accompanied by his signature "Regards, Karl" sign-off, code for condescension in his social media interactions.
Another fave target -- former Mayor Brian Treece, who apparently aggravated the mystery memer by opposing ARPA funds for homeless services and snapping at First Ward City Councilwoman Pat Fowler.
More obscure targets include the now-infamous blood-smearing Karen at Klik's Restaurant, a viral sensation on Facebook; Senator Caleb Rowden's forehead to face ratio; Eagle radio host Branden Rathert as a German SS officer; NAACP leader Mary Ratliff selling out to The Man; and a new dress code for female Missouri legislators reminiscent of The Handmaid's Tale.
Named for American anarchist philosopher Lysander Spooner, Spoonermeme's photo shopping isn't subtle, and it never hits John Stewart or even John Darkow-level satire.
But subtle humor is a hard sell in this age of hashtags, TikToks, and Insta pix, so for your daily dose of contemporary political cartooning, Spoonermeme is worth a look.
One thing's for sure -- you won't have to think about the punch line.
FowlerIn a back and forth that started in January, First Ward Columbia City Councilwoman Patricia Fowler and the IAFF Local 1055 Firefighters union have been arguing about Fowler's inability to meet the union's timeline for an endorsement interview.
Last week, the union and its political action committee (PAC) endorsed Fowler's opponent in the April election, Nick Knoth.
"The Columbia Professional Firefighters reached out to both candidates," union president Zack Privette emailed media outlets Feb. 8. "Unfortunately, our members were unable to hear directly from Councilperson Fowler due to her lack of ability to meet at mutually agreeable times. Instead, the councilwoman decided that her best course of action was to attempt to smear the members of the Columbia Professional Firefighters on social media, rather than find a mutually agreeable time."
Union leaders sought to meet with Ms. Fowler "during our normal business hours, Monday - Friday between 8 am and 5 pm," Privette explained on Fowler's official Facebook page. Meeting outside those hours would cause union members to "take extra time from their families or other obligations" and represent "exceptional accommodations for one candidate that would appear favoring," he added.
The workday time schedule was impossible for Ms. Fowler to meet in person, as she commutes for work to and from Platte City. A telephone or Zoom call, meanwhile, did not come up in the exchanges.
Over concerns about her inability to discuss union issues such as collective bargaining, Ms. Fowler told supporters on her Facebook page that she was not interested in the Local 1055 endorsement, regardless. She reiterated that position to the Columbia Heart Beat.
The Columbia City Charter places strict limits on interactions between elected Council members and city employees, union or
Privette otherwise. "A non-incumbent candidate does not have that restriction until they are sworn in," she added.
Instead, Fowler texted Privette that she would "continue to support the work of our city employees, including our firefighters. If any of your firefighters who live in the First Ward want to talk with me about an upcoming agenda item, I am happy to meet with them during [City Council] office hours," which individual Council members schedule accordingly.
The conversation heated up after she posted the text on Facebook, noting "I work full time in addition to serving as the First Ward City Council Member. I juggle my job responsibilities with my family responsibilities. The Firefighter’s Association, specifically their PAC, asked to meet with me and then insisted I had to meet their schedule of 8 to 5 during the work week."
Apparently taking umbrage with the term "insisted," union representatives scolded Ms. Fowler for "this unprovoked and unnecessary attack on our members, employees you claim to care about. We all expect better from our elected representatives!"
Knoth, meanwhile, said he was "proud of and thankful for the endorsement of Columbia’s Firefighters and for their support of the issues I am championing."
CoMo City Council (file photo)
But only low-income customers will benefit
The Columbia Mo City Council tonight will take up Bill B12-23, which partially quashes a utility bill late fee scheme some have called a scam. The public is invited to comment at the meeting.
"We need an ordinance change to address a problem capable of repetition, namely the charging of a late fee on those utility customers (the city calls us ratepayers) who get paid several days after their monthly utility bill is due, resulting in a late fee of 3% of the unpaid balance each and every month," First Ward Council member Pat Fowler said on her Facebook page. "City staff processes do not permit switching your due date to a date after your income arrives."
Instituted under the Mike Matthes administration, the late fee scheme moved utility bill due dates to before the end of each month, causing thousands of customers who get paid after the first of each month to fork over the late fee.
At 3% per month, the late fees generate a rough annual return of 36%.
Previously, the city-owned utility -- which controls garbage, power, water, sewer, and storm drainage -- allowed customers to set due dates based on pay days, with a majority paying shortly after the first day of each month. This practice aligned with other utility providers like Ameren.
The late fee scheme has proven lucrative, catching up some 43% of utility customers in 2022 and generating over $210,000 in just the four months Aug-Nov.
The new law would change late fees and due dates, but only for low income customers who pass a 6-part test (see pix).
The city-owned public utility service is famous for rate hikes and cash reserve stashing, so much so that former deputy city manager Tony St. Romaine publicly bragged it was so lucrative, utility profits could pay for "shovel-ready" private development land such as that the city sold to Aurora Organic Dairy at a one-million loss to taxpayers.
See pix below for more details.
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