ToadBook

Get Educated - Meetings and Agendas

Know This: You can not roll any old way as a Councilor at a Council Meeting. There are rules in place. At a minimum decorum and professionalism should play a roll.

Let's Play a Game

Ask yourself these questions and see if you are correct. The Village ordinances that govern these answers are included. .

And more importantly – ask yourself these questions and see if the Council is behaving correctly.

Q. In what manner is Village business conducted?

A. 2-2-2 B. 1 It is the intent that a meeting be conducted on as informal basis as is practicable to expedite Village business. Business will be conducted generally following good parliamentary procedure at the discretion of the presiding officer.

Know This: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parliamentary_procedure Parliamentary Procedure means Councilors and Mayors can not roll any old way.

How embarrassing the way some people behave in meetings.

Q. Who runs the meetings? Who recognizes speakers and manages the meetings?

A. 2-1-2 A. Hint - separate powers! Yes! The Mayor!

Q. If a Councilor wants to speak what is the process?

A. 2-2-2 2b. Each Councilor desiring to speak shall address the presiding officer (the Mayor) and, after being recognized, confine himself or herself to debate, avoiding personalities and indecorous language

(Emphasis mine!)

Q. Are interruptions ok? Can a councilor or a Mayor interrupt at will?

A. 2-2-2 2c A Councilor having been recognized shall not be interrupted except to call him or her to order. If called to order, he or she shall cease speaking until the point of order is decided, after which he or she may proceed.

(Emphasis mine!) Know This: Yelling at the Mayor, Interrupting, Screaming "Point of Order" and not stopping the debate are all against our ordinances.

Yes! Really!

How embarrassing for us to have to watch Councilors yell at attorneys when they don't like the answer. (And remember attorneys are paid to keep everyone out of trouble by the way).

Isn't it time Councilors follow their own ordinances? Remember the ordinances are written by Councilors.

Mayor! Please! 2-2-2 B 1. Strict adherence to the following rules will, however, be invoked at the request of any member of the governing body at any time on any or all issues.

Know This: This was obtained via Open Meeting Request. (Otherwise known as an IPRA request sometimes).

This ethics complaint was filed by a Clerk Administrator against a Councilor.

How embarrassing.

Apologies are Needed

Let's hit the Truth Button long and hard on this topic!

There is a darling elderly lady who has stopped going to Council Meetings and who had her heart broken at a Council Meeting.

The public who boo-ed her down and yelled at her to sit down and shut up should be ashamed.

How embarrassing that some people think it's ok to behave this way. My momma taught me to treat elderly with respect

The Councilor who pumped her fist and encouraged the poor behavior directed against this lady should have charges filed against her. (2-2-2 among other state laws) (Ahem... cough cough... DeSmet)

No! I haven't forgotten and neither has this darling older lady who has been a mainstay in Bosque Farms.

And what prompted this behavior? What did she say that was so despicable that it resulted in being boo-ed, yelled at to sit down and shut up?

This lady said essentially 'why can't we all get along?' She called upon everyone's better nature to be better!

There are no words for this. And if you are one of those people who behaved so terribly Apologize Now!

This lady has lived here her whole life. She has dedicated countless hours to attending meetings, running elections, supporting the PD, refereeing, donating to local organizations (Scouts etc), etc etc etc

I guess we should have known what kind of government we were in for when this happened.

On April 26, 2025 Councilor E. DeSmet wrote to the current Clerk Admin. It's a long email full of hyperbole -

KNOW THIS: Councilor E Desmet is running around having meetings and making decisions about the expenditure of funds.

Remember, this is illegal. The Council must make these decisions, in public.

KNOW THIS: Grants often have requirements about expenditures. It's not possible to just decide to spend a grant any old way.

KNOW THIS: Is it done yet? Why Not? It's easy to blame the mayor but has the Council voted on this? Has the Council read this grant and explored options? Has the Council looked at the budget for these funds?

One small good piece of news! This email was NOT sent to the whole council. No rolling quorum. No hint about future votes. Shocker that!

On April 26, 2025 Councilor E. DeSmet wrote to the current Clerk Admin. It's a long email full of hyperbole -

KNOW THIS: Councilor E Desmet is running around having meetings and making decisions about the expenditure of funds.

Remember, this is illegal. The Council must make these decisions, in public.

KNOW THIS: Grants often have requirements about expenditures. It's not possible to just decide to spend a grant any old way.

KNOW THIS: Is it done yet? Why Not? It's easy to blame the mayor but has the Council voted on this? Has the Council read this grant and explored options? Has the Council looked at the budget for these funds?

One small good piece of news! This email was NOT sent to the whole council. No rolling quorum. No hint about future votes. Shocker that!

This author requested a copy of emails from and to several people. It looks like E. Desmet requested info from Ms. Martinez and then sent it on to another person (Quinton Webb is an Officer at BFPD)

BUT WAIT!

Does anyone remember the news article about E. Desmet and the open meetings act? The local rag requested phone records and E. Desmet said ‘oh no, I never use my personal phone’

E Desmet doesn’t have a phone provided by the Village of Bosque Farms.

I’ll leave it to you to figure out the truth here. You are smart readers!