Facebook Page Rattles Ely City Councilman Bybee

A facebook page has earned the ire of outgoing Ely City Councilman Shane Bybee and it is on the agenda for Thursday’s meeting.

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Boasting 250 members  White Pine & Ely Politics has become a lively forum for ely residents to express their opinions on just about anything political in Ely and many of them have not been kind to either Bybee or to City Clerk Jim Alworth.

Last week Bybee put this item on the agenda: Discussion for Possible Action- Consideration of a response to misinformation circulating at this time regarding the city of Ely.

“I think it is kind of silly,” said founder of the facebook page Audrey Clark. “I started the page to give people a chance to comment on the issues they felt were important. If Mr. Bybee doesn’t agree with them, he is free to join and to post.”

“Thursday’s Ely City Council meeting will certainly have a lot of fireworks.” Wrote group member Wyatt Cox on his own blog. “One of the most controversial items is the item by retiring Councilman Bybee, “Consideration of a response to misinformation circulating at this time regarding the City of Ely.”

This item is aimed directly at this website and at the Facebook White Pine and Ely Politics group.

All this group asks, and all this website asks, is a little honesty in government.  And what we get from most of our sitting Councilmen and those at the top of our City Government is just that.  Very little honesty.”

As one would expect most of the posting pertain to the upcoming municipal election where it seems controversial City Clerk Jim Alworth is becoming a major issue.

Most recently coming off a confrontation with City Councilman Marty Westland, Alworth that almost came to blows earlier this year.

In the next agenda item Bybee is asking for an independent prosecutor to investigate Westland for ethics violations.

Bybee’s attempt to squelch the page may have the opposite effect and also may have given a boost to Bruce Setterstrom’s campaign to replace Bybee.

The only candidate in this June’s election to regularly post on the page Setterstrom wrote:

these are the agenda items for 5-23-2013 city council meeting. Tomorrow please attend if possible to defend your facebook rights. Please attend to show support for Marty Westland one of only 2 councilmen who has your back. And please attend to show you do care what happens in our city. Thank you all Bruce remember nothing changes if nothing changes.