BERLIN — The introduction of the city's fiscal year 2026 budget at the council’s March 3 meeting was derailed by uproar over a post on Mayor Robert Cone's Facebook page.
The since-removed social media post by Cone on his personal Facebook page, A Mayor for the People, called for a "forensic audit" in light of the city’s tax rate hike and encouraged people to attend the meeting. So many people came out, in fact, that the work session was moved to the larger room where the council holds its regular session meetings.
kAmxE H2D E96 H@C5 “7@C6?D:4” E92E DA2C<65 4@F?4:=@CD C624E:@?D 2?5 4@>>6?ED 2?5 C6DF=E65[ :? E96 6?5[ :? 2 D@=FE:@? AC@A@D65 3J 2?@E96C 4@F?4:=@C]k^Am
kAmr@F?4:=@C !6E6C |@C6?4J[ 2=D@ 2 4FCC6?E DE2E6 C6AC6D6?E2E:G6 2?5 E96 7@C>6C q6C=:? A@=:46 49:67[ @3;64E65 E@ E96 H@C5:?8 @7 E96 A@DE[ D2J:?8 2 7@C6?D:4 2F5:E :>A=:6D E92E HC@?85@:?8 92D 92AA6?65] k^Am
kAm“%96C6’D ?@E 2?J 6G:56?46 @7 HC@?85@:?8[” |@C6?4J D2:5]k^Am
kAm#2E96C[ 4@F?4:=@CD H6C6 E@=5 E96 AC@;64E65 C6G6?F6D 7@C E96 4:EJ[ :?4=F5:?8[ :? A2CE[ A2J>6?ED 7C@> E96 32?<CFAE qFC86DD q:@!@H6C[ H6C6 D:>A=J @G6C6DE:>2E65]k^Am
kAm%96 E6>A@C2CJ A2J>6?E :? =:6F @7 E2I6D W!x{~%X 28C66>6?E 36EH66? E96 4:EJ 2?5 qFC86DD[ H9:49 H2D 2AAC@G65 =2DE >@?E9 3J E96 &]$] q2?<CFAE4J r@FCE[ :D 23@FE 92=7 @7 E96 @C:8:?2= !x{~% 2AAC@G65 62C=:6C]k^Am
kAm%96 ?6H[ E6>A@C2CJ !x{~% 42==D 7@C E96 4:EJ E@ C646:G6 2 E@E2= A2J>6?E DAC625 @G6C 2 EH@\J62C A6C:@5] x?DE625 @7 E96 4:EJ C646:G:?8 Sc[bd_[d__[ E96 ?6H 28C66>6?E 42==D 7@C Sa]c >:==:@? @G6C E92E DA2?[ 2D E96 $F? 62C=:6C C6A@CE65]k^Am
kAm(C2?8=:?8 @G6C E96 E2I C2E6[ H9:49 r@?6 4:E65 :? 9:D @C:8:?2= u63] `h u2463@@< A@DE[ 3682? 2E E96 4@F?4:=’D u63] `g >66E:?8]k^Am
kAm~? u63] `g[ E96 4:EJ D6E :ED E2I C2E6 2E Sb_]gh[ 2 C2E6 Sb]hh A6C S`[___ G2=F2E:@? 9:896C E92? E96 a_ab C2E6 @7 Sae]h_ A6C S`[___ G2=F2E:@?]k^Am
kAm%96 C2E6 7@C a_ac[ EJA:42==J D6E :? }@G6>36C 2?5 =2E6 5F6 E@ E96 qFC86DD q:@A@H6C A=2?E 32?<CFAE4J[ 56=2J65 56E6C>:?2E:@? @7 E96 4:EJ’D G2=F2E:@?]k^Am
kAmr@>A=:42E:?8 E96 :>A24E @7 E96 E2I\D6EE:?8 56=2J :D E92E C6G6?F6 6DE:>2E6D 5:5 ?@E 4@>6 E9C@F89 2?5 >2J ?@E 92G6 366? E96C6 E@ 368:? H:E9 — E92E :D E96 492==6?86 7@C E96 4:EJ]k^Am
kAmr:EJ |2?286C !9:==:A {] (2CC6? yC] D2:5 E96 4964<D 2?5 32=2?46D E92E H@F=5 92G6 42F89E E96 F?56C6DE:>2E6 5:5 ?@E 92AA6? 3642FD6 E96 4:EJ 7:?2?46 56A2CE>6?E Q:D E@@ E9:?=J DE27765]”k^Am
kAmt2C=:6C E9:D J62C[ E96 E2I C2E6 H2D DE:== ?@E D6E[ 2?5 E96 AC@;64E65 C2E6 H2D E@ 36 2C@F?5 2 S`]d_ :?4C62D6 A6C E9@FD2?5 G2=F2E:@?] k^Am
kAmx?DE625[ E96 C2E6 42>6 :? EH:46 E92E 2>@F?E]k^Am
kAmp? 2F5:E[ A2CE:4F=2C=J 2 7@C6?D:4 2F5:E[ 42? 36 6IA6?D:G6]k^Am
kAm“x 92E6 E@ DA6?5 S`__[___ @? AC@;64E65 >@?:6D ?@E 4@>:?8 :?[” |@C6?4J D2:5]k^Am
kAm%96 4:EJ 2F5:E@C 92D 5@?6 2? 2?2=JD:D @7 H96C6 E96 4:EJ :D[ (2CC6? D2:5]k^Am
kAm“(92E :D E9:D D>@<:?8 8F? E92E J@F 2== 2C6 =@@<:?8 7@C — x’== 72== @? >J DH@C5[” 96 4@?E:?F65] “xE H2D 2? 6CC@C :? 6?E6C:?8 ?F>36CD] %92E’D H92E 92AA6?65] xE’D ?@ >@C6 4@>A=:42E65 E92? E92E]”k^Am
kAmr@F?4:=@C !2F= vC6?:6C D2:5 96 H@F=5 ?@E DFAA@CE 2 7@C6?D:4 2F5:E]k^Am
kAmr@F?4:=@C %9636C86 D2:5 96 72G@C65 2 7@C6?D:4 2F5:E]k^Am
kAm“%96 4:EJ >2?286C 2?5 E96 4@>AEC@==6C D2:5 :E H2D 2? 6CC@C :? >2E9[” vC6?:6C D2:5] “xE H2D 2 D:>A=6 >2E9 6CC@C — 96 @H?65 :E — E@ 42DE 2DA6CD:@?D :D D:>A=J 5:DC6DA64E 7@C @FC DE277]”k^Am
kAmr@F?4:=@C !6E6C w:8366 28C665]k^Am
kAm“xE H2D 2 >:DE2<6[” w:8366 D2:5[ H9@ H6?E @? E@ D2J E96 7@4FD D9@F=5 36 E@ =62C? 9@H E96 ?F>36CD 8@E EC2?DA@D65[ 2?5 9@H E@ 7:I E9:D D@ :E 5@6D?’E 92AA6? 282:?]k^Am
kAms:D4FDD:@? 36EH66? vC6?:6C 2?5 r@?6 4@?E:?F65 2D E@ 9@H E96 EC2?DA@D:E:@? 6CC@C 92AA6?65]k^Am
kAmr@F?4:=@C $E6G6? z@CK6? D@F89E >@C6 2?DH6CD[ E@@[ @? E96 ?F>36CD[ F?E:= (2CC6? DA@<6 282:?]k^Am
kAm“%96J 42?’E 255 FA[” (2CC6? D2:5 23@FE E96 E2I C2E6 D6EE:?8 ?F>36CD] “xE H2D 2? 6CC@C]”k^Am
kAm“x E9:?< H6 ?665 E@ <?@H 9@H E92E >:DE2<6 H2D >256] x E9:?< H6 D9@F=5 92G6 2 AC6D6?E2E:@? D9@H:?8 6I24E=J H92E 92AA6?65[” w:8366 D2:5[ 255:?8 :E >2J >62? 8@:?8 324< D6G6C2= >@?E9D 2?5 FD:?8 2 DAC625D966E] “%96 >@?6J :D ?@E >:DD:?8 — :E 5:5?’E 6I:DE :? E96 7:CDE A=246 6I46AE 2D 2 8F6DD]”k^Am
kAm|@C6?4J 28C665 H:E9 w:8366]k^Am
kAm“(9J 5:5 E9:D J62C E96 6DE:>2E6D ?@E H@C< @FEn” 2D<65 z@CK6?]k^Am
kAm“x E9:?< H6’C6 2== 8F:=EJ[ H6 2== 8@E E96 D2>6 52E2[” vC6?:6C D2:5]k^Am
kAmvC6?:6C D2:5 96 FDF2==J 8@6D @G6C 4:EJ 3F586ED 42C67F==J D@ E92E 2?J 52E2 6?ECJ 6CC@CD @C @E96C BF6DE:@?D A6CE2:?:?8 E@ E96 AC@A@D65 3F586E 4@F=5 36 2?DH6C65 62C=J @?]k^Am
kAm“&?56C >J H2E49[ E9:D ?6G6C 92AA6?65] x 5:5?’E 5@ :E E9:D J62C[” D2:5 vC6?:6C] “{6E’D ?@E A@:?E 7:?86CD 2E 4:EJ 92== 6>A=@J66D] (6’C6 2== :? :E E@86E96C]”k^Am
kAm“w@A67F==J H6 42? 4@>6 E@ 2? 28C66>6?E[” r@?6 D2:5]k^Am
kAm%96 H@C< D6DD:@? H6?E @?]k^Am
kAm“xE’D 6G6CJ3@5J’D 72F=E[” z@CK6? D2:5] “|2J36 E96C6’D 2 566A\5:G6 2F5:E E92E 8:G6D FD E96 2?DH6CD H6’C6 =@@<:?8 7@C]”k^Am
kAmu:?2?46 s:C64E@C w@==J {2CD6? H2D ?@E AC6D6?E 2E E96 |2C49 b >66E:?8]k^Am
kAmx? E96 6?5[ w:8366 AC@A@D65 E96 D@=FE:@?] w6 DF886DE65 4@F?4:=@CD vC6?:6C 2?5 z@CK6? H@C< E@86E96C H:E9 (2CC6? E@ 56G6=@A 2 G:DF2= 6IA=2?2E:@? E@ 56E6C>:?6 H92E H6?E HC@?8]k^Am
kAm%9636C86 DA@<6 H6== @7 E96 H@C< @7 (2CC6? 2?5 {2CD6?]k^Am
kAm“%96C6’D ?@E 2?JE9:?8 HC@?8 H:E9 E96 4:EJ >2?286C[ E96D6 BF6DE:@?D ?665 E@ 36 2?DH6C65[” z@CK6? D2:5k^Am
kAm“x <?@H :E’D 8@:?8 E@ 36 2? 6CC@C[” (2CC6? D2:5]k^Am
kAmkDEC@?8mr:EJ u* qF586E a_aek^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAm%96 86?6C2= 7F?5 3F586E AC@A@D65 7@C a_ad\ae :D Scd[d`b[faa] xE’D 2? 2>@F?E ?62C=J a A6C46?E 9:896C — `]hf A6C46?E — E92? E96 u* ad 3F586E] %96 4:EJ CF?D @? 2 7:D42= J62C 42=6?52C] yF?6 b_ :D E96 6?5 @7 u* adj yF=J ` :D E96 DE2CE @7 u*ae[ H9:49 6?5D yF?6 b_[ a_ae]k^Am
kAmk6>mk2 9C67lQ>2:=E@i=:D2o36C=:?52:=JDF?]4@>Qm=:D2o36C=:?52:=JDF?]4@>k^2mk^6>mk^Am

(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.