Cape & Islands News

The Sound of Silence in Barnstable

Democracy in Restraint
Will the Council President Joaquim face another recall?

by Peter Kenney - Special to capecodtoday

On Monday, 11 June of this year there was a meeting on the second floor of Barnstable Town Hall to discuss the agenda for the Barnstable Town Council meetings on 14 June and 21 June. As president of the council Janet Joaquim presided.

Also attending were councilor Hank Farnham, the assistant town attorney, town manager John Klimm, the assistant town manager and the council staff assistant as well as some members of the public and others.

Both  agendas  contained significant items; privately owned wind turbines, charter reform and the size of the council.  

Specifically, the printed draft agenda for the meeting on the 14th included consideration of whether or not to approve placing an article on the November ballot; a citizen's petition had been presented and the requisite 150  signatures were certified by the town clerk.

The petition to withdraw from Cape Cod Commission 

The petition asks that the council approve placing on the November ballot a question asking voters if they want to petition the Massachusetts legislature to allow the Town of Barnstable to withdraw from the Cape Cod Commission.

President  Joaquim began her discussion of this item by saying, "I guess this is something that came in while we were away." She and other councilors had been attending a conference in California.

Council president Joaquim said the item could not heard on the 14th because of an already lengthy agenda and there seemed to be general agreement.  Joaquim then wanted to know how long the council had to consider the question and said she thought the council had already discussed the issue six months prior and had voted not to consider withdrawal for another year.

The council must take up a petition question within three months of a petition being filedCouncillor Farnham responded that there had been a discussion some months earlier, that it had not been during a public hearing where public  comment was allowed but during a council workshop where no binding votes were taken. Joaquim later reiterated that she was certain the council had already voted the matter down. She also expressed a lack of full understanding of the time frames and rules involved.

The assistant town attorney left the meeting, returning several minutes later with photocopies of laws and rules. He informed the meeting that the council must take up a petition question within three months of a petition being filed and  that it must be heard no later than the August council meeting in order to be placed on the ballot in November.

That guy.  What guy?  You know, that guy... Gonzaga 

Joaquim then said, "I just don't know about this, I mean this is from that guy, you know..." Councilor Farnham  and one other person asked "What guy?" Joaquim answered in a barely audible voice, "Gonzaga." After a pause she said, "I think this is about something else. I mean he's runningissues Joaquim for something."

In fact, the Gonzaga to whom Joaquim referred is Lou Gonzaga of Hyannis who has declared his candidacy for town council from precinct 9.  He did circulate and submit the petition after gathering more than two hundred signatures. Joaquim did not make any comments about any of the citizens who signed the petition. Gonzaga stated that he began circulating the Cape Cod Commission petition well before he announced his council candidacy and actually before he had decided to run for council. No firm date has been set for the council to make a determination on this citizens petition.

Joaquim and Gonzaga crossed swords on many issuesJoaquim was at the center of a firestorm of protest in her first weeks as council president earlier this year when she voted with the majority to reject Barnstable's one year-old split tax system in favor of returning to a single tax method of assessing property taxes.

She and Gonzaga crossed swords on that issue and have on other issues and Gonzaga is a frequent speaker during the public comment period of council meetings. His displeasure at council curtailment of public comment is a matter of record. Joaquim's remarks on Monday might be interpreted by some as a barely concealed attempt by those in power to keep citizens out of the process of government, even though the Barnstable charter makes clear provisions for citizens to petition items for placement on a public ballot.

While Joaquim managed to kill a recall effort that arose from her voting against the stated will of her constituents on the split tax matter, a position she supported when asking their support while running for office, she did so largely because the recall movement featured vicious personal attacks on her. 

Questions to ponder 

• How will she defend herself and who will stand beside her if it becomes clear that she simply does not want citizens to have any access to their own government.
• What will citizens in Barnstable do when they discover that the gatekeeper has locked the gate and thrown away the key?
• Will the rumors of her political loyalty to state senator Rob O'Leary, who spoke out at Yarmouth town meeting against what proved to be a successful anti-commission article, make people suspicious that he is now interfering in the internal affairs of the town of Barnstable?
  
• How can people do other than conclude that Janet Joaquim is less concerned about citizens' rights of petition than she is about following some mysterious party line and defending the Cape Cod commission?