Politics heats up

Sometimes, politics can take center

stage.

During Wednesday evening’s Troy City

Council meeting during public comments, council member Gary Rose

indirectly questioned fines incurred by the city for a delayed

submission to the state of its final budget. A special meeting was

held Sept. 8 to approve the budget, but that meeting was further

delayed til Sept. 21.

Replying to inquiries to Mayor Don

Banning’s request for comments from the public, Rose sought answers

for the fine.

“I want to know why we got the fine.

Whose fault is it,” Rose said.

Responding to Rose’s question, Interim

City Clerk Tracy Rebo, council candidate Joe Arts and Rose began

quarreling about where to lay blame for the fine, prompting Banning

to interrupt.

Sensing the argumentative nature of the

quarrel, Banning issued Rose a warning to cease and refrain from

further comments.

When the meeting adjourned, Rose

immediately confronted Arts to continue the debate.

Police Chief Bob McLeod intervened as

the altercation worsened. McLeod asked Arts and Rose to leave the

chambers.

Shortly after Rose and Arts stepped

outside, their feud continued. To make matters worse, two women

contributed to the squabble forcing McLeod to intercede a second

time, ending the debacle for the evening.