Evening commission meetings deemed a 'success' despite dwindling crowd

By Charlene Sims, info@linncountyjournal.com

MOUND CITY – As the first regular evening meeting of the Linn County Commission meeting closed on Monday, July 29, Commission Chair Danny McCullough declared it a success.

“I think the public liked it (the evening meeting) a lot, don’t you guys?” asked McCullough. 

County Clerk David Lamb said, “I am still opposed and always will be.”

County Commissioner Jim Johnson laughed at Lamb’s comment and said, “Your vote don’t count, David.”

Lamb said, “I know it. I’m working 60 hours a week and now I am setting here the whole evening with you guys waiting on you to get done with this meeting and I am not happy about it. These are not supposed to be public forums. They are business meetings of the county unless there’s a hearing. ”

“Well, I really enjoyed the meeting, I’m glad we had a nice crowd and we’ll continue on with the months . . . ” said McCullough. It had been voted to continue doing this on the fourth Monday of the month for three months.

“I thought we had a good turnout, so,” McCullough added.

Lamb had less than 15 minutes to present county budget business at the end of the nearly four-hour meeting after the commissioners had Public Works Director Shaun West at the podium discussing details of each department for an hour and 45 minutes. 

The crowd that started out with more than two dozen people quickly dwindled down to less than 15 people after Parker resident Renee Slinkard spoke about paving Devlin Road two hours into the meeting. Much of the audience apparently came to support that project.

At three hours into the meeting, there were less than 10 people in the audience. And at three and a half hours, less than five people were in the audience. Attendance at Monday morning meetings is usually about 10 people.