A local preacher went ballistic on the mayor and council during the public agenda of Tuesday’s council meeting. Reverend Mark Lawrence was prepared to speak on the topic of “Steps to moving forward” during his five minutes on the public agenda but noticed the mayor and several councilors were missing presumably taking a break. Lawrence addressed the empty seats on council.
“I would just like to sit here and wait until every council member comes back. I mean it’s impossible for the citizens of this community to protest or say anything openly in a very common way and council people walk out during the public agenda,” Lawrence began to applause from the audience in council chambers.
Reverend Lawrence proceeded to rip apart his prepared speech at the podium with his voice elevating. “What I had to say I don’t want to say that anymore. What we have to do to move this city forward is look at those empty seats and look at these citizens that get up out their bed and come into this council meeting. I missed my coffee to get here, and people are on social media talking about they have to take a break too. It’s embarrassing,” the reverend exclaimed.
Earlier in the meeting city council acknowledged mental health awareness month which Reverend Lawrence then referenced. “You talking about mental health. Dang it, I have it too when you get to dealing with people that give you stress and anxiety that won’t sit in their council seats and we are trying to help them as citizens to make this city go forward. Why can’t we do this? It’s embarrassing. Look around. I’m not up here with a lot of rhetoric. I don’t need nobody’s approval. I don’t need to be voted for, and I don’t need to be voted out of anything, but I will work on it. Thank you,” the typically soft-spoken reverend concluded to another round of applause from the gallery.
