Monroe Dispatch - No Struggle, No Progress

Richwood Mayor Gerald Brown has gone on record “apologizing” for the town’s board of alderperson “treatment” of State Representative Pat Moore at its Thursday, July 20, 2023 meeting. In a Facebook post, Brown said that he publicly apologized to Moore for being denied an opportunity to address those present at the meeting on legislative updates. Moore was not on the meeting’s agenda, nor were board members aware that Moore was going to be at the meeting to address them for any purpose. Brown was also aware that according to the laws that govern Richwood, Moore could only be added to the agenda by a unanimous vote by the board. When Brown asked that Moore be added, the board voted “no” by a 3-2 vote; Wilbur Reed, Wysinger Cleveland, and Leola Keys voted no. When contacted by The Monroe Dispatch, the board members said that their votes were not meant as a sign of disrespect to Moore, but there was a lengthy agenda that had to be handled in a meeting that could have lasted several hours. In addition, those board members said that Brown did not mention why he wanted Moore to address the board. The board members said they were within the law with their votes and did not need or want Mayor Brown to “offer” any apologies on their behalf. The board members that voted no are angry at Brown because what they called a “stunt” when an individual is denied an opportunity to address the board is one that he has pulled in the past. They said that there have been “instances” when a Richwood citizen was told no and that they couldn’t address the board with Brown’s approval. There was a “full” agenda for that meeting where several were pulled, and when the business of the meeting ended, Moore was given the opportunity to speak but refused. Items placed on an agenda are usually there for some action, whether to discuss them, table them, or vote on them which Moore’s request did not appear to address. The board members that voted no said that Brown was trying to “portray them as the villains when that wasn’t the case". They said they would stand by their vote, but no disrespect was meant to Moore. Those board members believe that Moore could have been a little more forthcoming with her intentions to attend the meeting and address the board. Those alderpersons took issue with Brown wanting to know how the sewer project in Monroe will affect Richwood. The focus was to bring economic development to Monroe's south side, but nothing was said about how Richwood would benefit economically. Alderman Wysinger Cleveland said Richwood needs jobs and new businesses, not more housing. He said that Richwood does not have a sewerage issue, nor does he have anything against Moore, but a phone call would have made things easier. On the issue of lights being installed on Hwy 165 within Richwood town limits, Cleveland noted that the project is a welcome addition for safety concerns. Still, it is the citizens who are paying for the lights, while Mayor Brown wants to take credit for the lighting project. Cleveland also said Monroe is preparing for the future, but Richwood is being left behind. Jobs, not more houses, can fix that, said Cleveland.