Brickbat: Show Me

A Missouri judge has ordered officials in the city of Edgar Springs to immediately empty its bank account of all but $10,000 and pay Rebecca Varney $47,886 of a $79,716 judgment against the city. The judge also ordered that city officials must also put a tax increase on the November ballot and set aside all general revenue above $2,500 per month—the amount needed to pay the city attorney and fund the police department—until it has paid the rest of the judgment. The judge found that city officials had tried to intimidate Varney by banning her from city hall after she began asking questions about city finances, and that council members violated state open meeting laws by holding several closed meetings that should have been open to the public.

Comments

[Stuck in California]

> The judge found that city officials had tried to intimate Varney by banning

I don't know what this means. Can someone explain what it means to intimate someone?

[Don't look at me!]

I see you have never spent time in prison.
Stay innocent my friends.

[Chumby]

Apparently even trying to intimate her they needed to provide compensation for services rendered.

[Minadin]

So this story should have been ENB's beat?

[Get To Da Chippah]

I suspect the word intended was 'intimidate'.

[MatthewSlyfield]

Bend over and smile. 🙂

[Mockamodo]

"$2,500 per month—the amount needed to pay the city attorney and fund the police department"
Even Barney Fife doesn't come that cheap, and that gets an attorney too?

[Fist of Etiquette]

This is the way.

[John F. Carr]

Article: "The city pays its attorney $1,000 a month and the two-person police force was paid $1,477 in the month of June."

The city has about 200 residents. In my state a town that small would rely on State Police instead of having its own force. In states with county government, the Sheriff might be responsible.

[mad.casual]

In my state, some state agent would compile several such incomes on the side from their full time position, rotate through them after a couple of years, and retire early with multiple pensions.

[Incunabulum]

You can't run your local speed trap if you don't control the local police force.

[Medulla Oblongata]

The judgment should have been against the individuals involved, not the taxpayers.

[Social Justice is neither]

This is a government functionary, what are taxpayers for if not fleecing for the functionaries bad behavior.

[LIBtranslator]

Half a loaf is a start. Now taxpayers can waylay the looters and apply for restitution.

[Jerry B.]

Edgar Springs is also a notorious speed trap, per Wiki.

[Chumby]

Whereas in Edgar Winter, speeding drivers can expect to get a Free Ride.

[Incunabulum]

Well, the judge has issued his ruling - now let's see him enforce it.

[Chipper Chunked Chile Con Congress (ex NCW)]

"How many officers does the Judge have?"

[Rossami]

Woof, sounds like time to disincorporate.

By the way, calling Edgar Springs a "city" is ... generous. Their total population is about 200.
Interesting trivia, though - Edgar Springs is the mean center of US population according to the last census.

[LIBtranslator]

Oh goody. Another pompous band of looters gets uninsurable and loses its charter. Getting rid of local looter governments should be an opportunity for loudmouthed commie arnychists to step in and show how brainless lampreys capable only of sucking the life out of a genuine libertarian party can organize something of their own and make it compete. Nah...