Mayor Miller is Attempting to Punish and Silence our Elected Officials.

 **Nov. 12, 2024 Public Comment for City Council Meeting – Joshua T. Atkinson**

 Thank you, Madam Mayor, Council members, and City Staff. My name is Joshua Atkinson, and I’m here today to speak to Agenda Item 9—Revising the Rules of Council.

 Each member here has been chosen by the people of Freeport to represent around 3,000 residents in their respective wards. Together, you have the responsibility not only to speak on behalf of We the People but also to hold this administration accountable. As the Mayor acknowledged last week, the current Rules of Council have either been ignored or neglected for nearly a decade, with meetings run based on her discretion rather than the ordinances laid out by the people of Freeport.

 I commend the mayor for suddenly wanting efficient, respectful, and productive Council meetings. However, this attitude is eight years overdue. For nearly a decade, Mayor Miller has, either intentionally or unintentionally, failed to chair this council with the necessary adherence to the rules. Rather than owning and apologizing for this mistake, this administration is now proposing measures that appear aimed at silencing not only our council members but the people of Freeport themselves.

 In Freeport, elected officials—especially those backed by the Citizens Party (financed by our local MAGA Republicans)—often go unchallenged. For too long, this Council has sat by, while family members, friends, and campaign donors seemed to be the only ones benefitting from our local leadership. Decades of this “tow the party line” approach has left our proud, historic city in a dire state: crumbling infrastructure, a housing crisis, unsafe streets, and a growing drug and gun problem, rivaling some of the country’s hardest-hit cities.

 To those in this chamber who prefer the status quo of compliance, this is a reality check. Local government, if done right, is hard work. It’s frustrating. It’s full of challenges. And that’s exactly what you signed up for when you asked 23,000 people to trust you to represent them. Serving this community is not a hobby—it’s a full-time commitment, no matter the Part-time title or the low pay.

 Many feared that after the national election, certain local politicians—those that continue to hide behind terms like “Citizens” or “People’s Party”—would feel emboldened. Sadly, this seems to be coming true, as this administration attempts to reinforce policies that work against low-income families, young parents, and marginalized communities, especially the Hispanic and Black populations in Freeport. Every one of us deserves to have our voices heard.

 I am proud to call Freeport my home, and I respect each of you on this council and your attempt at service. Mayor Miller, instead of attempting to silence those who disagree with you, in your final months consider a different path: work to earn their trust and respect. Council, I urge you to stand up and stop this item from moving forward. And next year we will work together to make Freeport a place where every resident has a voice and a chance to be heard.

Thank You.