Editors Note: In light of the comments made at the Winfield Village board meeting, we are re-running the article “The People’s Voices Muted.” In the following video taken from a recent village board meeting, a longtime resident is very concerned with the new restrictions and stops short of calling Winfield Village President Birutis’ new rules censorship.
Dissent disrupts democracies, yet without it there is no democratic discourse. That point struck home as I listen to Winfield Village President Deborah Birutis open the village board meeting reading from a prepared statement.
The village appreciates hearing from our residents. Respect for the village board and democratic process will be adhered too. In this regard stability and a sense of decorum will be strictly followed All comments are limited to five (5) minutes and each resident will only be able to speak once.
– Winfield Village President Deborah Birutis
As I listened to Ms. Birutis speech unfold I realized the voices of the people, the owners of the village were being muffled by the preordained celebrants of the Winfield United command. It was a shameful display from board members who ran on platforms of open, honest government, and to quote Village President Birutis, “improving the organizational structure, processes, and communication with the residents.” The new restrictions which are unprecedented in the history of Winfield, contradict previous statements made by Ms. Birutis and are imposed to limit and quiet resident concerns from being heard.
It is so vitally important that the expression of multiple voices be allowed. But muffling voices blunts exposure of truth. That is what makes the stifling of voices at village board meetings so abhorrent. With board members calling ‘point of order’ and enforcing arbitrary time limits, varying perspectives become shrouded in ambiguous statements, conflicting views go unaddressed, the ordinary citizen hears nothing that demands serious response.
At the core of this issue, is the need for the people to believe the politicians they elect to represent them are addressing their concerns and “best interest” in improving the welfare and “quality of life” for the community. This is increasingly important within the village, where the effectiveness and efficiency of the governing body is more acute and where the lack of accessibility of residents and transparent decision-making fuels discontent, inhibits good governance and decreases the likelihood for social and economic improvement.
What a missed opportunity for the dissenting voice to be heard. What a missed opportunity for the community to hear what other residents think. The sin of omission lies heavy on this village board and with Village President Birutis. Ignorance of the issues can be condemned if the people refuse to reflect on evidence presented, but ignorance resulting from imposed silence concerning the issues cannot. Rather, the condemnation must be addressed to those who disallowed discussion, open debate, and freedom of speech.
Our forefathers understood the power of truth not told, of lies fabricated intentionally to deceive, to hide the true motive for actions, and they understood the importance of exposing the dreadfulness of those engaged in the deceit. A principled conscience does not exist in a void, it is framed by the narratives that shape individuals.
1. MTM says:
March 25, 2010 at 6:37 am (Edit)
You have wonder if this was done by Birutis to try and silence Tim Allen who has been a very outspoken critic of this board’s management of the village, in particularly Birutis’ complete mishandling of the village’s finances.
2. Ask Anne says:
March 25, 2010 at 7:48 am (Edit)
The village appreciates hearing from our residents. Really Debbie? You appreciate hearing from residents as long as it is shorter than 5 minutes and only once!
How hypocritical!! This from someone who railed against other boards for far less egregious actions. Of which she made Federal cases out of –Now This!!
3. DePaul says:
March 25, 2010 at 8:49 am (Edit)
I guess when you are doing a lousy job as Birutis and her board are doing they don’t want to be told in a public meeting how bad they are.
4. Mike G. says:
March 25, 2010 at 10:11 am (Edit)
Maybe Ms. Birutis remembers Winfield United directors shouting out in the middle of board meetings disrupting the business meeting. Or screaming at board members and residents at the end of village board meetings only to have the outbursts edited out of the official minutes and taping of the meeting. So much for open honest government! Then again Birutis is a founding member of Winfield United.
5. SweetHomeWinfield says:
March 25, 2010 at 12:13 pm (Edit)
What a hypocrite, Birutis is the same person who accused other boards of not letting people speak and now residents can only speak once. Where is that “community organization” Winfield United on this?
Oh that’s right, WU more than likely help draft Birutis’ little speech to stop residents from hammering the board for their incredibly poor performance which has run Winfield into the ground and put the burden squarely on the backs of the residents in the form of new taxes, 3.3 million dollar referendums, red light cameras, and a reduction or outright dismissal of the Police Department.
What’s next from this group?? Are we going to have to plow our own streets?
6. Avoidance says:
March 25, 2010 at 2:19 pm (Edit)
No question this is directed at Tim Allen however it is meant for anyone who wants to call this board and Birutis out for their incompetence. They don’t want to hear it and more importantly they don’t what the residents to hear it.
7. JT says:
March 26, 2010 at 8:31 am (Edit)
I don’t know why everyone is so surprised this board is completely controlled by Winfield United. Their propaganda machine is starting to heat up just read WU Director Rocky Rocket’s letter to the editor in WU’s new publication the Winfield Post. Rocket talks about what a great job this board is doing and that they are not all in lock step with one another — It’s sickening.
Does Rocket live in the same town as the rest of us? And drive on the same streets? Were looking at massive tax increases in the 200% category – fee increases on everything from water to garbage pick-up, the disbanding of the police department and a reduction in services. And what has this board done for the community in the last 5 years other than to advance WU’s no change agenda, NOTHING!!! Putting all of us all in a massive financial hole. Well that they got right, and now we all have to pay for lifestyle that WU wants to enjoy, on our dime.
8. Sammy says:
March 26, 2010 at 10:47 am (Edit)
It’s just not fair to the residents to be shut out of the process. A lot of what this board has been doing is behind closed doors and out of the view of the public and this just makes that situation worse.
It is inconceivable that just one year ago according to Ms. Birutis’ campaign literature we were financially sound due to her her “financial acuteness” and now we find ourselves in worse shape than some third world counties. The disturbing part is we didn’t hear a word about it until we were going to be hit with a 3.3 million dollar tax bill.
9. Par For The Course says:
March 26, 2010 at 12:14 pm (Edit)
Transparency promotes accountability and provides information for residents about what their village is doing. What this board needs to understand is that resident input enhances the village’s effectiveness and improves the quality of its decisions. Intelligent elected officials understand that knowledge is widely dispersed in society, and officials benefit from having access to that dispersed knowledge. When information is only being received from a small circle of individuals problems become common place, just like we are witnessing today.
10. Mike W says:
March 26, 2010 at 2:27 pm (Edit)
This action by the village board is a subtle move to control all the information within the village. No different than what Winfield United did with the Winfield Register. While most residents now realize that the Winfield Register was nothing more than an outlet to deliberately spread rumors to harm anyone running against their endorsed candidates, Winfield United is smart enough to know it is too soon to start that again. Although it is clear Winfield United is already setting up the Winfield Post for the next election cycle.
11. Time says:
March 26, 2010 at 7:19 pm (Edit)
We need a board members who are curious, and listen to people outside of the “Yes, sir” crowd in their inner circle. The current board is far too insular, self-serving, and beholden to Winfield United.
We need individuals who will step outside their comfort zone to hear different ideas; otherwise as we have seen with this board everything grows stale and falls apart. The inability to listen is a form of arrogance and it means either the current village board thinks they already know it all, or they just don’t care. There hasn’t been one new idea from this board other than to raise fees and taxes.
We need individuals who will communicate — facing reality and telling the truth. Nobody on the current board knows how to talk straight anymore. Instead, they spend most of their time trying to convince us that things are not really as bad as they seem. I don’t know if it’s denial or dishonesty, but it can start to drive you crazy after a while. Communication has to start with telling the truth, even when it’s painful.
12. Beyond says:
March 27, 2010 at 8:04 am (Edit)
It’s really a shame this board would adopt a policy to limit resident input. Unfortunately across the political spectrum we are seeing more and more of this type of behavior. Up to and including the Democrats one-sided and closed door meetings to pass the Health Care bill. Aren’t Birutis and the majority of the village board Democrats?
13. Common Sense says:
March 27, 2010 at 11:20 am (Edit)
What happened to the elected people serving the people? Shouldn’t they make every effort to engage the public. This tenant of government was never intended to be abused. Statements to the contrary do not make it right– It is completely wrong to shut the people out of the process.
14. Reflections says:
March 27, 2010 at 5:02 pm (Edit)
I don’t want a board I always agree with, but I want a board I can always TRUST! The residents have to be part of the process and that process has to be open, transparent, and fair–but, most of all, I want our elected officials to do what they promised they would do.
15. Aviva says:
March 28, 2010 at 7:16 am (Edit)
This has that slick group Winfield United’s fingerprints all over it. Winfield United is known for trying to silence anyone who speaks out against their organization. They put this disguise on that they care about the community but in reality they only care about themselves. Winfield United is not above smearing anyone who has an opposing view or trying to discredit them so that the residents don’t see what Winfield United really is. Although I would think the residents after 5 years of the Winfield United BS would finally realize Winfield United is a CANCER that has to be cut out of our town.
16. Inquiry says:
March 28, 2010 at 10:24 am (Edit)
All I can say is Shameful.
17. EyesWideOpen says:
November 29, 2010 at 4:18 pm (Edit)
Hey you open up the comments – Anyway I wanted to comment on how ignorantly Birutis treats Tim Allen. When Tim is speaking to the board she always has a scowl on her face and never addresses Tim Allen by his name. She is totally disrespecting him.
18. 8 miles out of Winfield says:
November 29, 2010 at 5:26 pm (Edit)
Bob is clearly bothered by the new “Birutis Rules” for speaking at board meetings. I guess pretty soon you have kiss Birutis’ WU ring before you will be able to speak at a village board meeting.
19. Numbers says:
November 29, 2010 at 9:53 pm (Edit)
Do you notice that phony smile Birutis puts on her face when residents are speaking? It’s so phony its sickening. She really dislikes even having to take public comments. The only she time she is genuinely happy is when her Winfield United handlers come to the podium to speak. Everything else is just a show for the cameras!