City Government
Boise Needs a “NO TEXTING” Ordinance
July 27, 2018 
NOTICE TO CITY COUNCILORS. PEOPLE ARE WATCHING YOU!
Woodings Facebook post during City Council meeting.
Polite society doesn’t text at the movie theater, the Shakespeare Festival, or at church. Most parents don’t let their kids text at the dinner table. Teachers don’t allow texts during class, and it is suicide to text while driving.
Boise City Councilor Holli Woodings got busted by a GUARDIAN reader who watched her texting on the live streaming video during the Tuesday noon council meeting. She was seen no less than five times checking her phone.
Our GUARDIAN detective then matched up her Facebook post with the time stamp on the video to show she was texting instead of paying attention to the city business being conducted in front of her. We also noted that based on the content of her Facebook post she probably doesn’t frequent the Greenbike kiosks either.
Woodings (front right) with phone at the time Facebook post was made during meeting.
We citizens need to petition for an ordinance prohibiting elected officials from texting during open public meetings.
To insure more advertising-free Boise Guardian news, please consider financial support.
Comments & Discussion
Comments are closed for this post.
Jul 27, 2018, 1:36 pm
Texting is also a way for them to communicate about the business at hand without it being on the record.
Jul 27, 2018, 4:38 pm
No One in your audience will be surprised by this finding. The photo makes it look like a “study hall” VS city council meeting? Is that the janitor behind TJ?
Jul 27, 2018, 6:12 pm
We have seen over and and over again that the mayor and council do not care, do not listen, and do not consider public testimony.
They usually do a good job of at least faking it.
But this shows the reality.
Nothing new and not surprising.
Jul 27, 2018, 8:15 pm
Petition for an ordinance? The Little People?
C’mon, Mr. Guardian! You’ve been around long enough to know that if our elected all-knowing “advocates” don’t approve of such uprisings, they pat us on the head and vote it down. (But, they might go for an ordinance prohibiting the Common Folk from using electronic gizmos at their meetings.)
I’d support the ordinance you describe… but I’d LOVE a city ordinance prohibiting handheld gizmo usage behind the wheel of a moving vehicle! (And I’m 100% confident it would save some citizen lives, to boot!)
Jul 27, 2018, 9:46 pm
Next thing you know, you’re gonna start wanting them to involve the public BEFORE they make the decisions we’re all gonna have to live with…and pay for!
Jul 27, 2018, 11:33 pm
Why would they need to pay attention? Our leaders figure out what the Rich Folk want done and do it. No need for any thought or time away from their pleasant distractions. Time for the Tree of Liberty to be watered with the blood of patriots and tyrants?
Jul 29, 2018, 4:16 pm
So much for all that lowering the dias to “come down to the people” schtick…eh? Maybe we should take notes of the exact details of business discussed when a texting session is observed, and then quiz the recalcitrant council member later, with phone cams recording the gotcha moment. Pop quizzes might solve the problem.
Jul 30, 2018, 8:33 am
Ms. Woodings, Please pay attention at these meetings and remember who you are serving – Boise’s residents. It is not asking too much for you to put aside texting for an hour.
Jul 30, 2018, 9:04 am
Off the Record is on the mark. Text messages do not seem to be being provided by the City in response to Records Act requests. We also need an ordinance that requires any texts about city business be provided as part of the response to a public record request.
EDITOR NOTE–I have been told that cell phone records on city phones and even personal website texts are part of open records act if they are used for city business. Problem is that it is difficult to gain access to prove they used a personal device to avoid scrutiny.
Jul 30, 2018, 10:50 am
If we only had Vern Bisterfeldt back on the council… You never saw him texting during a meeting. Asleep most of the time but never texting.
EDITOR NOTE– Vern used to be critical of colleagues who failed to close their eyes during the prayer. Asked if he peeked to check them he replied, “I watch the video after the meeting.”
Aug 1, 2018, 8:21 am
If you pay attention to the text Holli is sending WHO IS WE,VE.
Aug 1, 2018, 10:50 am
Frank.. I wondered the same thing. And what does it mean? Are they using BPD as a rental agency?
EDITOR NOTE–Sounded to us like they were using the Boise BIKE PROJECT as a rental. Like getting several bikes really cheap for out of town visitors and then “donating them back” to BBP and taking a deduction. Good business sense on her part and of course cheaper than using the Green Bike kiosk in front of city hall! 🙂
Aug 1, 2018, 4:26 pm
Doh!
Aug 1, 2018, 4:59 pm
I find it curious that they are not using the bike share program, to which has been so happily advertised by this very group.
Is this like Obama’s health care? Good enough to force on us, but not for them?
Aug 2, 2018, 2:48 pm
Holli, Is an apology coming? Are you going to stop not paying attention at city council meetings? Are you going to stop texting? I’ve heard that you’re defensive and aloof. Ignoring the public in this texting incident is another example of these traits.
Aug 2, 2018, 9:36 pm
Aloof? Trademark of Team David’s.
Aug 27, 2018, 11:33 pm
Not very “cheap” at all.
Donating items held less than 12 months only provides a deduction for the basis of the property.
Buy a $200 bike from BBP. Use it for a day. Donate it back. Deduction is only $200. If you’re in the highest tax bracket (37%) only provides a tax savings of $74. And that is IF you still itemize under the new increased standard deduction.
Therefore, your one day rental just cost you $126 after tax.