Letters to the Editor: City Council Meeting, Fire Ants Close Friendship Park

By Sebastian Daily
5 years Ago

The latest topics include the city council meeting and fire ants at Friendship Park. These are the letters to the editor as of February 2, 2020.

Sebastian City Council Meeting

I was VERY impressed with Mayor Ed Dodd’s running of the meeting. I was VERY unimpressed with Damien Gilliams.

Gilliams likes to talk but has nothing to contribute.

Ron R.
Sebastian

Damien Gilliams

5 minutes in and Gilliams shows his incompetence.

Charles C.
Sebastian

Damien Gilliams

First issue is the fact that most voters in this city of Sebastian do not participate, visit, tune in, or care about what is going on.

Second issue is that new comers fail to ask the people who know the history of council members, who’s who, and what their “Character” is. Are they “Honorable” do they cheat, lie and steal, in their daily contact with the citizens of our city?

Why did it take years of running, posting big red signs, proclaiming how the other members of City Council were not doing things right?

Is that what you think a person running for office should be doing?

Going to almost every meeting, jumping up to the mic, mostly trying to insinuate, that there was something wrong (Damien Gilliams).

Hogging time, wanting face time, to gain some kind of recognition, as a protector of citizens rights.

Well, now we are seeing what we have to deal with.

James S.
Sebastian

Damien Gilliams

Damien Gilliams “borderline” violated sunshine law violations at the citizen board meetings.

How about when he directs the clueless Pamela Parris during meetings on how to vote?

Tiffany M.
Sebastian

Sebastian City Council Meeting

I attended my first City Council meeting. The stand out to me is Damien Gilliams, but for all the wrong reasons. Argumentative when something doesn’t go his way. He obviously doesn’t listen when others are speaking as Mayor Dodd, and others had to repeat themselves on at least three occasions before the 8:00 break.

Jim Hill talking on the topic of herbicides says Roundup is safe, yet scientists and the label on the product contradicts that.

Pamela Parris looked at Gilliams before voicing her votes as if needing his guidance of influence … to the point where Mayor Dodd, after asking her to vote, told her, “Don’t look over at him…”

The other thing I noticed is citizens getting up to address the council wearing board shorts and flip flops.

I am sorry, but the presentation means something. If you want to be taken seriously, you may want to present yourself seriously.

Jeffrey T.
Sebastian

Sebastian City Council Meeting

I literally cringed every time Gilliams spoke. He acted like it was his council! He kept interrupting the Mayor and contradicting EVERYTHING!

I’m glad I didn’t go because I would have told him to shut up on several occasions. He asked so many questions; it was like he had no clue on anything.

He also got upset when Pam Parris was asked to vote before him because she mistakenly voted against his choice on the matter before, and he was pissed.

So the Mayor tells Parris not to look at Gilliams before her choice because she was now confused.

Christina V.
Sebastian

Damien Gilliams

Mr. Gilliams, as he is now branded by me, appears to have some sort of grudge/dislike for law enforcement officers, the law itself, and for not paying his personal taxes on time.

Perhaps he should recuse himself from any involvements with discussing police operations, budgets, and enforcement concerns. And setting tax rates that would surely affect himself and his business interests.

Dave K.
Sebastian

Robert Bedea’s Resignation from Natural Resources Board

How is it that this guy is now claiming to be the “victim?”

What a complete disgrace.

Ann B.
Sebastian

Robert Bedea’s Resignation from Natural Resources Board

Another example of Mr. Man Child (Damien Gilliams) grandstanding and making matters worse. The only way Robert Bedea is a victim is by friendly fire from his buddies on the council.

Man Child should have kept his mouth shut for once and let everyone involved speak. This man has no right to represent our city, in my opinion just for the fact he hit one of our police officers, but not letting all involved speak made the attention worse and again put the spotlight on man child just where he wants it.

The disrespect showed to the police that night from the council was the same as smacking our officers.

Tracey C.
Sebastian