When Emporia city government paused public comment during the City Commission meetings last month, commissioners and city leaders were roundly criticized. They were also cursed at, threatened with violence, had family members threatened with violence and death and were told to die by suicide.
Emails, voice mails and social media messages were released to the media Thursday morning — many of which can’t be printed or fully used on-air without redaction of some sort because of the amount of profanity included.
City Manager Trey Cocking says the city released the collection of comments so the public could understand why commissioners decided to halt public comment for its August meetings.
Cocking also stated the city had to weigh several considerations when deciding whether or not to release the recordings and emails, including concerns that it may embolden others to take the same actions as before.
Cocking says “people have every right to question city decisions and express disagreement.” He also says the city remains “committed to hearing those views and holding safe, accessible public meetings.”
According to Cocking, the Emporia Police Department is continuing its investigation into the credibility of these threats, many of which came from across the country as the data center project got heated locally in July and throughout August.
KVOE will have a link to the city’s file folder once it is made available.
