Councilwoman Speaks Untruths

In the events of the recent petition regarding my supposed misrepresentation of one of the key votes of councilwoman Ellon Darr, this accusation is outright false. Latest Joplin Globe Article

Ellon, after 16 days of media coverage, decides to say she voted no, or that she didn’t know she was voting at all? I spoke with Mrs. Darr about the incident in which I reminded her about a return call she made to me on January 31st, in which I explained in no uncertain terms how our village ordinance was modeled after House Bill 277, and I wanted her vote on the matter. She went into a heartfelt story about how she has just lost her father-in-law to cancer, and how she was loosing her father now, and how she was upset that morphine was all they could give him. She then told me that her vote was YES. She was 100% behind it. I then stated that we could have a meeting for it, in which she said she couldn’t attend. “Keep me down for a yes”, she said.

Upon reminding Mrs. Darr of our conservation, and stating that “I would gladly take a polygraph as to the fact that I explained the vote to her” and that she voted yes, Mrs. Darr refused to submit to such a test. The fact of the matter is, I was prepared and looking forward to resigning if the council didn’t remain in favor of the Ordinance. At the village meeting in which we spoke first of adopting a medical marijuana bill, all residents at that meeting, with the exception of my father (who was only in descent because children were present) and two who remained silent, were in favor of the much stronger worded Ordinance 421.

I guess the real problem is that certain people in my village could stand on my porch, look me in the eyes, and tell me they were behind me all the way; and end up falling a bit short of all the way. In fact, the petitioners are unwilling to debate their flip-flopped position at a public meeting. I’m guessing they got scared of the media coverage and went into the ‘duck and cover mode’. Who can blame them? These are dark times for personal freedoms and standing up for your rights.

These events do nothing but bolster my resolve for the issue. The 78% majority in America will be heard. As far as Cliff Village law, the medical cannabis ordinance is passed.

-Joe