Hart Van DenburgIt ain’t all good in Gould, Ark. Political discourse in the small tornado-prone town has reached a low point. A point so low, it probably violates the U.S. Constitution.
A fracas between members of the city council and the mayor resulted in the passage of an ordinance that forbids the formation of a group without the approval of the city council.
This comes after other restrictive ordinances, reports the New York Times. The council attempted to reel in the perceived outsized influence of the Gould Citizens Advisory Council, an organization the mayor is active in, by passing an ordinance that would forbid the mayor to meet with groups inside or outside the city of Gould.
The advisory council, which calls itself a nonpartisan group that educates voters and raises money for public causes, says it will continue its work. But the City Council, in one ordinance, accused the group of “causing confusion and discourse among the citizens” by harshly criticizing local officials at public meetings. (NYT)
One council member says the ordinances should be re-written with “more constitutionally sensitive wording.”
