A Little Bo Peep

Nowadays I’m known for dissecting cons, candid blog entries and disastrous dating history but I originally gained recognition as a writer by freelancing for local magazines and newspapers. My breakout piece was a story about a guy who blew into town eager to make his presence known.

He did just that.

Five years later, I am recognized for the piece that still goes down as one of the most peculiar city council meetings I have ever covered, from readers who said the detail made them feel like they were there, to law enforcement officials who appreciated my coverage as an example of what they were called to handle every day, to the subject who from time to time sends me threatening messages laced with legal babble derived from his latest Google search. But judge for yourself. I call the piece A Little Bo Peep.

“The city is a failure,” declared Bo Rupert -and that was not the only F-word the lad threw about at the Coffeyville City Commission meeting Tuesday, July 25, 2017. All members of the commission were present as well as many city officials, employees and a handful of observers.

Although conspicuously absent from the body’s previous meeting, Rupert arrived at the meeting well in advance, live-streaming on his cell phone. Dressed in a suit with freshly cut hair, worn and scuffed dress shoes and dirty, mismatched ankle socks, Rupert seemed full of energy as he seated himself in the front row center seat and described the activity for the ‘audience’. As each member of the commission arrived, first Martin, then Bauer, Williams, then Kastler, Rupert introduced them to his virtual audience with not-so complimentary nicknames such as ‘Sasquatch’ and ‘Crooked’.  City Manager Kendal Francis was not left under the radar, finding himself chastised by Rupert for not having a tie. Francis looking cool in a white dress shirt and jacket, commented he had plenty of them.

Minutes before the meeting was schedule to begin, Coffeyville Police Chief Kwin Bromley, walked in the door. He nodded and greeted a few attendees before taking his place directly on the left side of Rupert. Rupert seemed surprised but warmly addressed the Chief with a smile and a pat on the back. Engaging him in light conversation, Rupert could be observed rocking back and forth in his seat, like a nervous child awaiting his turn in the dentist’s chair. Commissioner Taylor arrived with a minute to spare, and the meeting was ready to begin.

Mayor Paul Bauer ran the meeting like a well oiled machine, moving the commission through approval of the agenda and consent agenda and approval of no less than 10 resolutions ranging from change orders to the electric utility to construction engineering services to the purchase of a replacement aerial bucket trouble truck.  The body even approved a resolution to amend the city’s procurement policy-with a descending vote from Martin, and an ordinance amending municipal court costs. 

All the while Rupert, rocked, fidgeted, filmed and texted, occasionally showing posts he found particularly amusing to Bromley and attempting to take a selfie every now and then with the officer. Bromley remained engaged but indifferent. Francis made a few quick comments about updates at his office and it seemed the agenda was progressing steadily towards the finish line including comments from the public.

It would seem this was the moment Rupert was waiting for. While the floor was turned over to the city manager, Rupert stood up and left the building, standing just outside the door. Although it was impossible to make out his words from the well-mic’ed voices inside, his voice was noticeably more excited and building to something more dramatic. He hurriedly came back inside and recovered his place, sitting on the edge of his seat.

And then…Bauer called a five minute break.   

The culmination of the evening’s accomplishments thus far seemed as good a place to stop as any and most in attendance seemed to welcome the chance to step away and stretch their legs. Most except for Rupert. Rupert waited until the police chief stepped outside to grumble to another spectator about their companion in the front row, calling it ‘Flat-out intentional’ that the officer decided to sit where he did. The gentleman, an elderly man said he thought Rupert had some distraction planned, Rupert was heard responding that he couldn’t with the police officer right there. By the time the meeting began to reconvene and Bromley returned to his seat, he found it scooted away from the other chairs to the left and occupied by Rupert’s left leg. “You don’t want me to sit by you anymore?” Bromley asked. Rupert shook his head and replied softly. The police chief shrugged and took the seat to the left of Rupert’s obstructing leg.

When Bauer brought the meeting back in session he turned the floor over to public comment, reminding those who wished to speak of the customary practices including limiting their comments to three minutes. Rupert leaped to his feet and quickly handed his still-streaming phone to the man sitting to his right before taking his turn at the podium. It was apparent this was the moment he had been waiting for.

He opened his address to the commission by stating that he was prepared to exceed the three-minute time limit and that if they wanted to have him carried away by the police, then so be it.  After giving the city a failing grade, accusing the commission of placing Bromley next to him in attempt to intimidate, and demanding Bauer produce his personal cell-phone records to prove his earlier statements about inviting Rupert to the last meeting were false, Rupert accused a majority of the body of being selfish and only out to serve themselves. The only commissioner spared his wrath was Taylor, who claimed to know nothing about a majority of Rupert’s allegations or the rationale behind Bromley’s choice of seats. He emotionally lamented his dismissal from the Juvenile Community Corrections Board, expressing that the decision to remove him from the appointment just two weeks after the body had voted in his favor was equate to stabbing him in the back. In between more colorful commissioner nicknames, he added that the decision demonstrated that the commission did not care about its at-risk youth nor the problems the city is facing.

After letting Rupert express his frustration for a time, Bauer regained control of the unhappy speaker by asking him to refrain from derogatory comments. Rupert asked for clarification before regaining his angry momentum and stating that he didn’t care what Bauer thought. He declared this was the last city commission meeting he would be attending and he had plans to leave town in early August. With ample time to spare, Rupert turned to the audience of curious onlookers and then to his camera phone and announced that none of the commissioners should be re-elected. It is unknown if Bauer or Williams were effected by this, they appeared to be as bewildered as most of the audience. 

With his piece said, no one else felt the need to speak and the meeting quickly concluded. The seats were stacked and hands were shook. Your faithful Dirt Road reporters made their parting comments to friends and contacts and gradually worked their way outside. Alas the evening was not over for Rupert. Feeling the need for more personal interaction, the still-fuming chap stood around amidst the bustle, making sympathetic comments to some, glaring looks and taunting comments to others. At one point quite out of the blue, Rupert passed by the stunned members of the local media (myself included) and exclaimed “Fake news!” Admittedly, that left us puzzled. Before leaving, he said the same thing as he walked past us and out the door.  Another attendee standing by made a joke about Russia and CNN.

But it would seem that Rupert had no intention of leaving reporters without a good story. While passing by Commissioner Williams and another attendee, Rupert told Williams to avail himself in an activity not beholden to his office-using one of a number of f-words in his vocabulary. As he chose the end of the meeting to hold his tirade, his actions were witnessed by several people-including Chief Bromley. Rupert was taken into custody and found himself hitching a ride from the meeting in the back of a police vehicle.

In an effort to avoid putting out fake news, I later verified that Rupert was charged with disorderly conduct for making rude and profane comments to the commissioner and a citizen. It should be noted that the someone that is arrested is considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. And his subsequent plea deal and conviction is an entirely different story altogether.

The Coffeyville City Commission meets on the second and fourth Tuesday of the month at 6:30.  The public is invited and encouraged to attend.

Stay tuned for the meeting minutes and what the commission was able to accomplish at this meeting.

Seriously, you really can’t make this kind of stuff up.

My name is Jennifer Beck and I’m Jenuinely Jennifer.

Writer, Researcher and Reporter.