‘Guns loaded’ comment earns weapons searches for Port St. Lucie City Council critic
October 22nd, 2009 by TCPalm.comPORT ST. LUCIE — Each time City Hall critic John Methvin attends a City Council meeting, he’ll be screened for weapons by a police officer using a metal detector.
In a telephone conversation last week with an employee in the City Council office, Methvin allegedly demanded Councilwoman Michelle Berger meet with him to apologize for calling him and his neighbor, Dave Mittler, “professional anarchists” during a Sept. 28 council meeting. He said if Berger refused to meet with him, he would show up at the next council meeting with “guns loaded.”
Methvin said his remarks were taken out of context and were a figure of speech.
“When I called up there, I never intended to appear threatening,” Methvin said. “I never requested a meeting. I requested we settle this over the phone. I have no desire to bring physical harm to anyone on the City Council in any way.”
Methvin has been at odds with city officials since Sam’s Club was built behind his home. He accuses the city of allowing Sam’s to fill in a swale behind his property, which he says causes flooding in his neighborhood during heavy rain storms.
In an Oct. 15 letter to Methvin, Police Chief Donald Shinnamon said if Methvin refused the weapons screening, he would not be allowed in City Hall. In a telephone interview Monday, Methvin said he would comply with the screenings.
“This was an unfortunate statement on your part and whether rhetorical or not, I have an obligation to assure the safety of the council, staff and citizens attending public meetings,” Shinnamon wrote.
Police spokesman Tom Nichols said police take statements like Methvin’s seriously and this could happen to anyone.
“We would take precautionary measures in any other situation like this one,” he said.
Shinnamon said Methvin showed up at a council meeting wearing a trench coat and was checked by an officer outside the council chambers.
“Since he will be screened it (the trench coat) won’t be a concern in the future,” he said.
Shinnamon said he offered to provide Berger with a police escort, but she declined.
Berger made her remarks at a Sept. 28 council meeting after Mittler got into an argument with City Manager Don Cooper while he was speaking during the public comment portion of the meeting. Mittler was later escorted out of council chambers by a police officer after he refused to stop speaking when his time ran out.
“We sit here, and we take the abuse from Mr. Mittler, Mr. Methvin as they come up here week after week,” Berger said during the meeting. “It takes time away from the taxpayers’ meeting.
“These are professional anarchists,” Berger said.
On Tuesday, Methvin faxed Berger a letter. He addressed her as “Dirt bag Berger.”
“You are a coward for not retracting unnecessary comments, like cowardly Cooper!,” Methvin wrote.
Berger said Wednesday she doesn’t believe Methvin intended to show up with actual weapons, but it was enough of a concern for her to listen to Shinnamon’s recommendations.
“No apology is coming forward,” she said. “There should be consequences to making references to weapons in the same way you can’t go onto an airplane and say, ‘bomb.’”
Alexi Howk
Tags: city council, gunsloaded, metal detector, threats, weapons screening
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October 22nd, 2009 at 11:19 am
As Deerfield’s resident gadfly, and some might argue the town’s premier professional anarchist, I only have this to say… We anarchists don’t do meetings, but rather, we just like to randomly mill about. You know. Chaos. Disorder. That sort of thing.
I think Berger is getting off *really* easy with just being called a dirt bag. Heck, when I communicate with my elected officials, I use every square inch of the 1st Amendment. She should be glad she’s not on my town’s dais. I would have “in my cross hairs”, but given the tone of this article, I don’t want to be misconstrued.
Chaz Stevens, Genius
MyActsOfSedition.com
October 23rd, 2009 at 7:53 am
This is typical idiot loons that use every opertunity to decieve. TYPICAL left tactic. No common sense anymore in America were DOOMED now.
October 23rd, 2009 at 10:25 am
I like vanilla.
October 23rd, 2009 at 11:23 am
I think Mr Methvin should sue if only he is singled out for screening. I would sue on violation of first amendment speech rights. If he hasn’t shown any violent behavior why does he have to submit to an unreasonable search.
Any ACLU lawyers out there???
October 23rd, 2009 at 11:52 am
“When the government fears the people, there is liberty. When the people fear the government, there is tyranny.” –Thomas Jefferson
I’ve noticed more and more that as the right of citizens to be personally armed for self defense has been increasingly recognized by State legislatures, arrogant and abusive local government officials have attempted to be more restrictive. Perhaps they are illustrating Thomas Jefferson’s observation.
October 31st, 2009 at 2:58 pm
You should brush up on your gun laws and in particular the rules governing carrying a concealed weapon. I know that most of you Right Wing Nut Jobs are more apt to have read the bible than State Law, so let me help you out.
In the State of Florida, it is illegal to openly carry a firearm. Open carry when on foot in a public area is generally not permitted, but is allowed in certain circumstances, as defined in Florida statute 790.25(3).
790.06 (12) License to Carry Concealed Weapon or Firearm prohibits carrying a concealed weapon to any meeting of the governing body of a county, public school district, municipality, or special district;