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The Carmi Timez, Carmi, IL (2026)

08/22/2026

Carmi Fest: The Eclipse Came and Went… Did Anybody Ever See the Final Numbers?

A couple years ago Carmi prepared for the 2024 eclipse like we were about to become Nashville, Vegas and Bonnaroo for one glorious weekend.

The City Council unanimously authorized Mayor Jeff Pollard to spend up to $60,000 on entertainment for Carmi Fest.

At the time, Pollard told council members there were already sponsors committed for roughly $40,000 and said something very important:

The event “shouldn’t cost the city anything.”

Even better, the goal was to make money, bank the profit and use it to help create an annual Carmi festival.

Sounds great.

So The Carmi Timez has one little question:

Where’s the final scoreboard?

# # FOLLOW THE MOON. THEN FOLLOW THE MONEY.

By February 2024, officials reported around 300 tickets sold and said sponsorships were still being pursued.

By late March, roughly two weeks before the festival, that number was around 500 tickets.

Tickets were roughly $45-$50.

The festival grounds were reportedly capable of holding thousands.

Then the eclipse happened.

The bands played.

Everybody stared at the sky.

The moon moved on.

And apparently so did the accounting, because we haven’t been able to locate a nice, simple public document saying:

TOTAL MONEY IN: $____

TOTAL MONEY OUT: $____

CITY TAXPAYER COST: $____

PROFIT/LOSS: $____

MONEY BANKED FOR NEXT FESTIVAL: $____

Seems like something that should fit on one piece of paper.

# # “FINAL NUMBERS AREN’T READY”

At the April 16 council meeting after the event, the mayor said the final Carmi Fest figures were not available yet.

Fair enough.

It had just happened.

Then in May, WRUL hosted the mayor and city clerk for a program specifically discussing the festival’s income, expenses, what went right, what went wrong and what was learned.

WRUL even described Carmi Fest as an event that “didn’t live up to the hype.”

So presumably somebody eventually had the numbers.

We’d just like to see them.

Not because we're accusing anybody of stealing money.

Not because we've uncovered the Great Eclipse Heist of 2024.

But because when taxpayers authorize up to $60,000 after being told an event shouldn’t cost the city anything, asking what it actually cost seems like a fairly reasonable follow-up question.

# # AND THEN THERE’S RALLY POINT

Carmi Fest was presented by the City of Carmi and produced by Rally Point Events.

Rally Point’s founder, Lance Yearby, is a former Carmi alderman.

Before anybody fires up the Facebook conspiracy machine:

That alone proves absolutely nothing improper.

Former aldermen are legally allowed to continue existing after leaving office.

But with public money involved, there are still ordinary questions worth asking:

How was Rally Point selected?

Was there a contract?

What were they paid?

Was there a production fee?

Were other companies considered?

Who collected ticket revenue?

Who paid the performers?

Where did sponsorship money go?

Again — boring accounting questions.

Unfortunately, boring accounting questions occasionally become very interesting.

# # ABOUT THOSE SPONSORS…

Remember that approximately $40,000 in sponsorship commitments mentioned when the council authorized the entertainment spending?

Who were they?

How much was actually pledged?

How much was actually collected?

Did $40,000 turn into $40,000?

$25,000?

$10,000?

$63 and a Texas Roadhouse gift card?

We don't know.

Which is the whole point.

# # AND WHAT ABOUT THE MONEY WE WERE GOING TO “BANK”?

The original pitch wasn't merely that Carmi Fest would break even.

The stated hope was that it would make money and leave enough behind to help fund future festivals.

So…

Did it?

Is there a Carmi Fest account somewhere?

How much went into it?

How much is still there?

Was there no profit to bank?

Did the city lose money?

Did it break even?

All three are possible.

We just haven't found the clean final accounting that answers it.

# # MAYBE THERE’S A PERFECTLY BORING EXPLANATION

There very well may be.

Maybe sponsorships covered nearly everything.

Maybe late ticket sales exploded.

Maybe Rally Point absorbed certain expenses.

Maybe the city broke even almost exactly.

Maybe the entire answer is sitting in a city ledger waiting for somebody to ask.

Great.

Show us.

Because the easiest way to stop people from wondering where money went is usually to show them where the money went.

The Carmi Timez isn't accusing anyone of wrongdoing.

We're asking a much more dangerous question:

Can we see the receipts?

If anyone has the final Carmi Fest income-and-expense report, sponsorship totals, ticket settlement, contracts or council documents showing exactly what the festival ultimately cost — or earned — send them our way.

Until then, the eclipse may have lasted four minutes.

The mystery of the Carmi Fest accounting is going on two years.

08/22/2026

Carmi’s Mystery Insurance Club: One Alderman Is In — We’d Just Like to See the Rulebook

CARMI, IL — The Carmi Timez has accidentally stumbled into another one of those stories where the more you read, the more you start saying:

“Wait...what?”

Back in October 2025, Carmi City Council had a heated discussion over whether aldermen should be eligible for the city’s health insurance.

According to statements made during that meeting, the city insurance plan normally requires someone to work at least 30 hours per week.

Aldermen don't.

They don't clock 30 hours.

They don't submit 30-hour timesheets.

They are elected officials.

Yet officials acknowledged that one current alderperson was participating in the city's insurance plan.

So naturally, we have a question:

How?

# # APPARENTLY THIS STARTED YEARS AGO

City Clerk Cynthia Attebury explained during the 2025 meeting that when she started in 2017, she later discovered an alderman was already using city insurance.

She said the issue was brought to the mayor at the time, and the decision was made to offer insurance eligibility to the other alderpersons too.

Which is fascinating.

Because “the mayor said we could” and “here is the ordinance legally establishing the benefit” are not necessarily the same sentence.

Current Mayor Bill Stendeback said during the meeting that the original arrangement had not been properly approved by the council and that, in his opinion, aldermen weren't eligible because they don't meet the plan's work-hour requirement.

The council was then asked to approve a resolution declaring council members ineligible.

That did not go smoothly.

# # AND THEN CAME THE DOUBLE-NEGATIVE Olympics

Alderman Jack Bradshaw made a motion NOT to approve the resolution that would have said aldermen were NOT eligible.

If you just developed a headache reading that, congratulations.

You're qualified to attend Carmi City Council.

The motion passed 6-1, with one abstention.

The practical result was that council members remained eligible for the insurance arrangement.

And at the time, only one current alderperson was reportedly actually using it.

We still don't know from that meeting report who pays what.

Maybe the alderperson pays the entire premium.

Maybe the city pays part.

Maybe there's another arrangement.

That's exactly why we're asking.

# # THEN WE CHECKED CARMI'S OWN CODE

Carmi's published ordinance regarding elected-official compensation lists:

Mayor: $46,000 per year

City Clerk: $35,700 per year

Aldermen: $4,800 per year

You know what we didn't see listed there?

Health insurance.

That doesn't prove another ordinance, resolution or benefit document doesn't exist.

There very well may be one.

And if there is, we'd genuinely like to see it.

Because Illinois Attorney General opinions have previously concluded that health insurance furnished to elected officials is part of their compensation.

So this isn't quite the same as the mayor deciding everybody gets free coffee in the break room.

Benefits for elected officials generally come with rules.

# # SO HERE'S OUR NEW COMMUNITY SCAVENGER HUNT

The Carmi Timez is officially looking for:

THE MISSING INSURANCE PAPERWORK.

Somewhere there should presumably be something explaining:

Who authorized aldermen to participate?

When was it approved?

Was it approved by ordinance?

Does the city pay any portion of the premium?

Does the alderperson pay the entire cost?

How does an elected official who doesn't meet the normal 30-hour requirement qualify?

And if the benefit is part of alderman compensation, where was that compensation formally established?

We aren't accusing anybody of stealing anything.

We aren't saying anyone committed a crime.

We're doing something apparently far more dangerous in Carmi lately:

Asking for the paperwork.

# # MAYBE THERE'S A PERFECTLY GOOD ANSWER

There might be.

Maybe there's an old ordinance sitting in a file cabinet that clears the whole thing up in five minutes.

Great.

Publish it.

Maybe aldermen are allowed into the group plan but pay 100% of their own premiums.

That's important information too.

Maybe the city's insurance provider specifically authorized elected officials despite the normal work-hour rule.

Excellent.

Show everybody.

The easiest way to kill a rumor is with a document.

But until somebody produces the document, residents are left with an unusual set of facts:

The city said aldermen don't normally meet the plan's eligibility requirement.

One alderperson was nevertheless enrolled.

The mayor questioned whether that was proper.

The council voted to preserve alderman eligibility.

And Carmi's published elected-official compensation section lists $4,800 for aldermen without mentioning health insurance.

That's enough to make even The Carmi Timez put down the joke book for a minute and say:

“Okay, seriously. How does this work?”

# # HELP US FIND OUT

If anyone has the ordinance, resolution, insurance-plan document or City Council records showing when alderman health-insurance eligibility was formally created, send it to us.

Not rumors.

Not “my cousin said.”

Not “everybody knows.”

Documents.

If everything was done properly, the paperwork should tell the story.

And if nobody can find the paperwork?

Well...

That becomes a different story.

The Carmi Timez will be standing by with popcorn and a FOIA request.

08/21/2026

Carmi Officials Discover Time Travel Whenever Citizens Start Asking Uncomfortable Questions

CARMI, IL — Something remarkable appears to be happening in Carmi.

Every time somebody starts digging into city business, asking uncomfortable questions, requesting records, questioning timelines, or wondering who knew what and when, a mysterious phenomenon occurs on social media:

The calendar suddenly goes backward 10 or 15 years.

Apparently, when the present becomes uncomfortable, somebody starts digging up the past.

The Carmi Timez has noticed a growing pattern of old mistakes, old arrests, old problems, old Facebook posts and other ancient history suddenly being dragged into present-day arguments involving people who have been questioning local government.

Coincidence?

Could be.

But the timing sometimes has all the subtlety of somebody throwing a brick through a window with a note attached that says:

“PLEASE STOP ASKING QUESTIONS.”

( WELCOME TO CARMI’S NEW ARCHAEOLOGY DEPARTMENT )

Citizen: “Can somebody explain what happened with the wastewater discussions?”

Facebook: “DID YOU KNOW THIS GUY GOT IN TROUBLE IN 2013?”

Citizen: “Okay...but who contacted whom about the sewer system?”

Facebook: “HE USED TO DRINK!”

Citizen: “What does that have to do with—”

Facebook: “WE FOUND A MUGSHOT!”

Apparently Carmi has developed a new investigative standard:

If you cannot answer the question, investigate the person asking it.

We expect City Hall to purchase several shovels, carbon-dating equipment and one of those little brushes archaeologists use to uncover dinosaur bones.

“Chief, we found something!”

“What?”

“A misdemeanor from the Obama administration.”

“MY GOD. POST IT IMMEDIATELY.”

(BREAKING NEWS: PEOPLE HAVE PASTS)

The Carmi Timez would like to reveal something shocking:

Some adults have screwed up before.

Some have been arrested.

Some have battled problems.

Some made terrible decisions.

Some paid fines, served sentences, completed probation, changed their lives and moved forward.

We know.

Absolutely devastating information.

Apparently, however, once someone begins questioning government, a mistake they paid for more than a decade ago can suddenly be treated like it happened Tuesday morning.

Nothing says “we're confident in our answers” quite like:

“We could explain this city issue, but first we'd like everyone to know what Larry did in 2011.”

(THERE’S JUST ONE LITTLE PROBLEM)

Dragging somebody's past through Facebook doesn't answer anything.

If somebody asks:

Who authorized this?

Their old criminal record doesn't answer it.

Who communicated with this company?

A 12-year-old mugshot doesn't answer it.

Why wasn't the public informed sooner?

Somebody's divorce doesn't answer it.

Why does this document say one thing while officials are saying another?

A decade-old mistake doesn't answer that either.

It may embarrass the person asking.

It may make their family uncomfortable.

It may convince a few Facebook commenters that they've discovered Watergate.

But the original question is still sitting there.

Waiting.

And sometimes an aggressive attempt to discredit the person asking actually makes everyone else wonder:

“Damn, what question were they asking that made somebody this nervous?”

(THE STRATEGY MAY BE BACKFIRING)

The apparent theory seems to be that if you embarrass somebody badly enough, they'll become quiet.

There is one flaw.

Some of these people apparently don't give a s**t anymore.

You can't threaten somebody with a past they've already admitted, paid for and survived.

“You know we're going to tell everybody what you did 12 years ago!”

“Okay.”

“We're serious!”

“Go ahead.”

“We'll post the mugshot!”

“Make sure you use the good one.”

That creates a difficult situation for anyone hoping shame will make questions disappear.

Because once embarrassment stops working, you're left with the horrifying possibility of having to answer the question.

(CARMI TIMEZ OFFERS FREE ADVICE)

If someone questioning the city is lying, prove them wrong.

Show the document.

Show the email.

Show the minutes.

Show the recording.

Explain the timeline.

Correct the misinformation.

That's devastating.

Facts are extremely effective against false accusations.

But if your response to:

“Can you explain this?”

is:

“Did you know this guy got arrested during the first season of Duck Dynasty?”

people are probably going to notice that you didn't answer.

(THE PAST ISN’T THE STORY)

Nobody is saying a person's history can never matter.

Sometimes it absolutely does.

But there is a huge difference between relevant history and throwing somebody's old mistakes into the public square because they're currently becoming inconvenient.

And here's the funniest part:

It may actually make the people asking questions look more credible.

Because every time somebody starts digging through ancient court records instead of addressing the current issue, another resident starts wondering:

“What the hell are they getting close to?”

Maybe there's nothing there.

Maybe every question has a perfectly reasonable explanation.

If so, wonderful.

Give the explanation.

Because trying to shame somebody into silence doesn't make the questions disappear.

It just makes the rest of us lean forward.

The Carmi Timez therefore announces a new rule:

If somebody has already paid their debt for something they did more than a decade ago, and you're only bringing it up because they started asking uncomfortable questions today, congratulations.

You haven't won the argument.

You've just informed everyone that the question apparently made you uncomfortable.

And now we really want to hear the answer.

08/19/2026

Carmi Pulls Decorum Ordinance, Then Holds a Two-Hour Audition for Its Replacement

CARMI, IL — Carmi City Council decided Tuesday night not to vote on its proposed ordinance regulating how citizens behave at public meetings.

Several aldermen reportedly wanted more time to study it.

Good call.

Because the rest of the meeting turned into a live-action research project.

For roughly three-quarters of the meeting, residents and officials argued about transparency, wastewater, meeting recordings, legal bills, profanity, interruptions, and — because apparently we hadn’t opened enough cans of worms already — questions surrounding where the mayor legally resided when he ran for office.

At one point the gavel came out.

At another, two grown men stared each other down across City Hall.

And somewhere in a folder, Ordinance 1689 quietly whispered:

“Miss me yet?”

( RUDY: JUST RECORD THE DAMN THING)

Landon “Rudy” Rudolph again asked the city to record and publicly post council meetings.

His argument was simple:

If somebody later says a speaker was disruptive, went over time, wasn’t recognized, used certain language, or was treated unfairly, everybody could simply watch the video.

Then, almost immediately, the meeting descended into people arguing over who said what, who interrupted whom, and who needed to shut up.

That may be the greatest sales presentation for recording meetings ever conducted without a PowerPoint.

Rudolph eventually became heated enough that Mayor Bill Stendeback reached for the gavel.

Councilman Jack Bradshaw told him to watch his language.

Rudolph made it fairly clear that language monitoring was not among his immediate priorities.

Maybe instead of debating whether meetings should be recorded, Carmi should just start filming and call the series:

“Previously, on City Council…”

( COOK TESTS A LAW THAT WASN’T EVEN PASSED)

Richard Cook Jr. also criticized the proposed decorum ordinance, questioned whether parts of it could create First Amendment problems, and recommended having someone familiar with constitutional law look it over.

He also repeatedly pointed out spelling mistakes in the draft.

Then he ended his comments with enough profanity that the regular news had to replace words with “expletive.”

In fairness, if you're going to argue that government shouldn't have too much power over offensive speech, demonstrating offensive speech right there in the showroom is one way to make your point.

City Hall wanted public input on the ordinance.

Cook apparently brought a crash-test dummy.

( AND NOW: WHERE DOES THE MAYOR LIVE?)

Because wastewater, public access and First Amendment arguments weren't enough for one evening, Rudolph also questioned City Clerk Cynthia Attebury about legal expenses involving Stendeback's residency eligibility during the 2025 election.

Rudolph alleged city money had been used for legal work connected to determining whether Stendeback was eligible to run.

Attebury denied his accusation.

The discussion eventually circled back to questions about Stendeback's residency.

To be clear, the meeting did not establish that the mayor lives somewhere he isn't supposed to live.

Questions were raised about residency and eligibility.

That's what we know.

Still, Carmi politics has now reached the point where residents are asking:

Who talked to Illinois American Water?

Who authorized legal work?

Who knew what?

When did they know it?

And apparently:

Where does Bill sleep at night?

At this rate, next month's agenda will require DNA samples and two utility bills.

(“THAT’S MY WIFE”)

Then Jill Bradshaw stepped to the microphone.

She criticized the yelling, cursing, finger-pointing and personal attacks that have become regular features of recent meetings.

Rudolph interrupted and said she was clearly talking about him.

Her husband, Alderman Jack Bradshaw, objected.

Others tried to calm things down.

Jill tried to continue.

Jack and Rudolph eventually exchanged a stare-down across the room.

For several seconds, Carmi City Council appeared dangerously close to requiring a ring announcer.

“IN THIS CORNER, REPRESENTING WARD TWO…”

Thankfully, nobody threw a chair.

(HERE’S THE PART CITY HALL SHOULDN’T MISS)

It's easy to watch all this and blame the public for being loud.

Some of them are loud.

Some swear.

Some interrupt.

Some clearly arrive at City Hall already operating at about 85% pi**ed off.

But people don't repeatedly pack council chambers because Tuesday-night municipal government suddenly became Southern Illinois' hottest entertainment venue.

They're showing up because they believe important questions remain unanswered.

The wastewater controversy hasn't gone away simply because the proposed sale went away.

Wastewater operator Don Davis also addressed the council Tuesday, questioning discussions involving engineers and pushing back against suggestions that he had been involved in behind-the-scenes activity.

He also questioned why he couldn't get placed on the agenda.

Again:

People want answers.

And when they don't believe they're getting them, they tend to get louder.

You can write all the decorum ordinances you want.

A three-minute timer doesn't answer a question.

# # MAYBE CAMERAS ARE THE CHEAPEST SOLUTION

Here's a wild idea.

Record the meetings.

Post them online.

Done.

Someone claims Rudy was completely out of control?

Hit play.

Someone claims an alderman treated a resident unfairly?

Hit play.

Someone claims an official said something they now deny saying?

Hit play.

Someone insists they were calm and respectful while screaming across the room?

Hit play and enjoy.

A video doesn't care which side you're on.

That's probably why it's useful.

(ACTUAL GOVERNMENT OCCURRED SOMEWHERE IN THERE)

Believe it or not, council members also conducted city business.

They approved airport-related ordinance changes, engineering and contractor payments, attorney invoices, TIF audit expenses, a lower electric-cost adjustment and an application for a state park grant.

Residents also brought up nuisance properties and speeding on Webb Street.

So despite the yelling, gavel banging, residency questions and stare-downs, the machinery of local government continued functioning.

Mostly.

(DECORUM ORDINANCE: TO BE CONTINUED)

The ordinance regulating public comments wasn't defeated.

It was simply pulled so council members could spend more time reviewing it.

They should.

Because there's a difference between maintaining order and making criticism easier to control.

Residents shouldn't be able to completely derail a meeting.

But City Hall also shouldn't confuse being uncomfortable with being disrupted.

If Carmi really wants calmer meetings, maybe the answer isn't simply:

“Citizens, behave better.”

Maybe part of it is:

“Government, communicate better.”

Answer the questions.

Record the meetings.

Post the videos.

Make agendas clear.

And when people ask who knew what, when, where the money went, or apparently where the mayor lived when he ran for office, give them something more useful than another reason to come back two weeks later even angrier.

Tuesday's meeting finally adjourned at 6:33 p.m.

Nobody was removed.

Nobody was fined.

Nobody got punched.

And the controversial decorum ordinance never even made it to a vote.

Considering how things have been going lately, Carmi may want to count all four as accomplishments.

08/19/2026

Something Old Is Stirring in Carmi

CARMI, IL — Every once in a while, a story looks dead.

The paperwork gets put away.

The meetings move on.

Everybody quits talking about it.

And then somebody starts digging.

A couple years ago, Carmi had a mayoral race with an unusual little problem: a formal challenge was filed questioning whether one of the candidates actually lived in Carmi.

Not Facebook gossip.

Not somebody yelling across the Dairy Queen parking lot.

An actual election objection.

A hearing was scheduled. Attorneys were involved. Evidence was apparently going to be presented.

And then, just 48 hours before that hearing happened, the challenge was withdrawn. Why?

No ruling.

No evidence heard.

No official answer.

The election moved forward.

And the question quietly went into a drawer.

Well…

we found the drawer.

And while digging through old reports and public records, we started finding some newer breadcrumbs involving the same basic question:

Where exactly is home?

Now, before the rumor mill catches fire, we're not accusing anybody of anything.

Owning property somewhere doesn't necessarily mean you live there.

Having ties to another state doesn't mean you aren't a Carmi resident.

And an allegation that was never decided isn't proof.

But an unanswered question from an election challenge combined with newer public records?

That's enough to make us curious.

Very curious.

So we're digging deeper.

Old filings.

Property records.

Residency requirements.

Meeting records.

And whatever else we can get our hands on.

Maybe there's absolutely nothing there.

Maybe the old challenge was nonsense.

Or maybe the story everyone thought ended years ago…

never actually ended.

Stay tuned.

The Carmi Timez is digging. And we want to hear from you.

08/18/2026

Carmi Timez will be among you tonight at the meeting .Look around. You may figure it out 😂

08/16/2026

Attorney General Says Agendas Shouldn’t Be Surprise Parties; Carmi Residents Suddenly Remember “Property”

CARMI, IL — While Carmi officials are busy deciding exactly how citizens should speak at City Council meetings, the Illinois Attorney General has issued a timely reminder:

Government is supposed to communicate clearly with citizens too.

And that brings us back to one little phrase from Carmi’s May 19 agenda:

“Notice of sale of real and personal property owned by the City of Carmi and an invitation to bid thereon.”

What property?

Truck?

Lawn mower?

Old filing cabinet?

Turns out the discussion involved something slightly more important:

Carmi’s municipal sewer system.

You know.

The thing nearly everybody in town uses every time they flush.

Easy detail to leave out.

# # FOUR DAYS EARLIER...

Here’s where things get interesting.

On May 15 — just four days before Carmi’s meeting — the Illinois Attorney General issued binding Public Access Opinion 26-005 involving the Village of Okawville.

Okawville listed “Personnel Issues” on its agenda and then voted to fire a police officer.

The Attorney General ruled that wasn’t specific enough.

The basic message:

The public should be able to look at an agenda and have a reasonable idea what their government is preparing to act on.

Which raises an obvious question.

If “Personnel Issues” wasn’t enough notice that somebody might be fired...

was “sale of real and personal property” enough notice that Carmi was about to take action involving its sewer system?

Nobody has ruled that Carmi violated the Open Meetings Act.

We’re not saying they did.

We’re saying the new ruling makes that May agenda look a whole lot more interesting.

# # THEN “PROPERTY” SUDDENLY GOT A NAME

After the council voted to seek bids, the official notice became considerably more specific.

Suddenly it wasn't just “property.”

It identified assets used in Carmi’s sanitary sewer system and discussed the possibility of the city ceasing to operate that system if a suitable purchaser was found.

Well, there it is.

Apparently the words “sewer system” did fit on the paper after all.

City officials have since said they weren't necessarily trying to sell the utility and mainly wanted to determine its value.

Fair enough.

But residents can probably be forgiven for scratching their heads when the paperwork essentially says:

“We may stop operating this thing if somebody buys it.”

while the explanation afterward is:

“We were mostly just curious what it was worth.”

The Carmi Timez plans to use the same method the next time we want our house appraised.

FOR SALE.

MAY VACATE PROPERTY IF SUITABLE BUYER FOUND.

Relax, honey. I’m just checking Zillow.

# # AND NOW WE’RE TALKING ABOUT COMMUNICATION

Residents have spent months asking questions about the wastewater process, transparency, meeting records and how decisions are being presented to the public.

Meanwhile, Carmi is now considering a detailed ordinance governing how citizens speak at council meetings. The proposal includes three-minute limits, mayoral recognition, conduct requirements and possible penalties for disturbances.

We already covered that.

But the timing creates one hell of an irony.

City Hall:

“Citizens, we need to establish clearer rules for how you communicate with us.”

Citizens:

“Great. Can you clearly tell us what’s on the agenda?”

City Hall:

“Property.”

# # THE CARMI TIMEZ PROPOSES A MUCH SIMPLER RULE

We don't need an ordinance.

We don't need attorneys.

We don't need a conference call.

Here it is:

IF YOU’RE TAKING ACTION ON SOMETHING IMPORTANT, PUT WHAT THE DAMN THING IS ON THE AGENDA.

Selling a truck?

“Possible sale of city truck.”

Pool project?

“Pool project.”

Considering bids involving the municipal sewer system?

Try:

“MUNICIPAL SEWER SYSTEM.”

Simple.

Clear.

No decoder ring required.

# # MAYBE THIS IS WHY PEOPLE GET SUSPICIOUS

Some officials may think residents are overreacting.

But look at it from the public’s perspective.

You see “sale of real and personal property” on an agenda.

Then you learn the council acted on soliciting bids involving the sewer system.

Then the official bid notice becomes much more specific.

Then you're told there wasn't necessarily an intention to sell.

Residents begin demanding more transparency.

And shortly afterward, City Hall develops detailed rules governing how residents address City Hall.

Now the Attorney General has issued a binding opinion emphasizing that vague agenda language may not give citizens adequate notice of what government is preparing to do.

Maybe people aren't confused because they're stupid.

Maybe they're confused because the situation was confusing.

Government doesn't have to agree with citizens.

Government doesn't have to do whatever the loudest person in the room demands.

But residents shouldn't have to solve a riddle just to figure out whether they need to attend a meeting.

If citizens are expected to walk to the podium and clearly state who they are, maybe major city assets should receive the same treatment.

Citizen:

“My name is John Smith.”

Agenda item:

“My name is the Carmi Municipal Sewer System.”

See?

Everybody knows who everybody is.

The Carmi Timez

08/22/2026

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