Mayor allowed boorish behavior against Congresswoman Sandy Adams during New Smyrna Beach City Hall visit

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Were any of your present during the attempted presentation by our local Congresswoman Sandy Adams the other evening at city hall?

Forget what side of the political landscape that you may be on, this was a disgrace for our city, but more for its mayor.

The meeting was totally out of hand for a while, with several citizens standing up and doing their best to get things back under control, with those in the audience, many of whom where Democrats and evidently Suzanne Kosmas supporters doing everything possible to drown out Adams because their incumbent was voted out of office in November's mid-term elections.

What a sad event.

And where was our mayor? He was hiding back in the lobby, refusing to step back into the room to remind everyone to maintain their civility, or they would be removed. We even had a police officer present in that hallway, who was told to "stand down" and not get involved by the city manager, which is what I was told when I asked the mayor what the hell was going on and to get his chicken ass back in the room and do something.

Hmmm.  This is the same mayor who is always ready to cut off the citizens when they exceed their three minutes at the podium during city commission meetings, but now is allowing a whole room of folks to almost get into a battle right before his eyes.

Then I remembered!  Kosmas son is his partner in his restaurant and she lost the election. Now I get it.

You be the judge regarding the reasons for the debacle the other night, but it's clear from up here on the perch, that the whole thing still reeks of local politics, as old partnerships and back room deals die hard.

Until the next time, Bob Tolley

At far left, former Congresswoman Suzanne Kosmas, D-New Smyrna Beach, and on the right, Congresswoman Sandy Adams, R-Oviedo.

Editor's Note: Mayor Adam Barringer is a registered Republican and supporter of Congresswoman Sandy Adams who defeated Suzanne Kosmas in the last election for the 24th district seat. Barringer told NSBNews.net he was advised by City Manager Pam Brangaccio not to intercede because it was Adams' event and the cop was nearby just in case there was any over threats or disruption requiring law enforcement action. The mayor had introduced Adams and asked the 60 or so people in the audience to please be civil and respectful not only of the congresswoman, but of each other and the public facility.