"If you go down there, they'll start harassing you,
like they did me,"
(allegedly)...
(allegedly)...
Yes, he had warned me. But out of the blue last year, I decided to listen to a video recording on AccessTV of the last Battle Creek City Commission meeting. They had a guest speaker that night, the one and only Dennis McKee, our electric company's smart* meter representative.
Dennis is a charismatic man who reminds me of "Mr. Clean." From my experience, he is very polite and well spoken. And there seemed to be no question in the city commissioner's minds that smart meters were the next best thing to (fill in the blank) .
Because of my experience, I felt the commissioners needed to know what the electric company and mainstream media weren't saying about the new meters. They needed to know that some people become sick after smart meter installation. Some without even knowing a new public utility meter had been installed.
So I started going to city commission meetings, telling them of my experience with new electronic AMR ERT natural gas public utility meters (which aren't technically called "smart," but they do send pulses of radiofrequency radiation in the microwave range over 450,000 times per month, non-stop), and also sharing scientific information with proof of harm from smart meters.
I shared smart meter stories of fires, illness, over-charging, and cyber security threats. Month after month, after month I went and shared.
I asked them to pass a Resolution supporting House Bill 4916, the Analog Utility Meter Choice bill, which allows public utility customers to keep analog (non-electronic) public utility meters without having to pay extra to do so. After all, the old analog meters have been around for eons and didn't make people sick, start fires, over-charge, or create a cyber security threat.
I shared smart meter stories of fires, illness, over-charging, and cyber security threats. Month after month, after month I went and shared.
I asked them to pass a Resolution supporting House Bill 4916, the Analog Utility Meter Choice bill, which allows public utility customers to keep analog (non-electronic) public utility meters without having to pay extra to do so. After all, the old analog meters have been around for eons and didn't make people sick, start fires, over-charge, or create a cyber security threat.
When I asked them for 100% proof that "smart" meters were safe for humans, they couldn't provide it. And it didn't seem to matter to them that they couldn't. And it didn't seem to matter to them that the precautionary principle was being completely ignored in regards to smart meter "roll-out," either.
They just wanted to "agree to disagree" with me.
They just wanted to "agree to disagree" with me.
"I told you they were going to start harassing you,"
(allegedly)...
(allegedly)...
Indeed he had, and he was right (allegedly). Police officers began visiting us...
The first one came up the driveway, and was a very nice and polite female officer.
"You're here to harass her,"
(allegedly), he said to her sternly...
(allegedly), he said to her sternly...
No, she just wanted to ask me a few questions about an incident that had happened at a previous city commission meeting I had attended. The incident occurred behind me, behind the audience seating area, in the hallway, while I was up at the podium in the front of the room, giving my three minute General Public Comment about smart meters.
I didn't hear what was being said behind me, behind the audience seating area, in the hallway, while I was speaking. So I told the kind officer,
"I appreciate all that you do to serve and protect the citizens of Battle Creek, however,
I do not want to get involved."
I do not want to get involved."
And so she left. Not happy, but peacefully.
On another day, we found a younger male police officer parked in his cruiser just outside the gate on the private road. When we asked him why he was there, he said he was doing paperwork. He was a very nice and polite man, and didn't say anything about questioning me. He was just doing his paperwork, and said something about there not being much coverage on this side of town.
The last ones that visited were two officers in training, also known as cadets. They were the ones with the subpoena for me.
"You're here to harass her,"
(allegedly), he told them....
They denied it, and told him about the subpoena they had for me. He then proceeded to give them an earful, telling them he had warned me about being harassed (allegedly) if I went to city commission meetings to complain.
I don't know how long he talked to them, but eventually the two cadets also left peacefully, and without delivering the subpoena to me.
I don't know how long he talked to them, but eventually the two cadets also left peacefully, and without delivering the subpoena to me.
Later, I called the police station and asked to speak to the cadets who had been looking for me, in hopes of finding out exactly why they wanted to subpoena me.
The woman who answered the phone at the police department was very polite also. She checked, but the two cadets were in training and not available to talk with me.
So I shared my suspicions with the woman who answered the phone, that perhaps they wanted to subpoena me regarding the incident that happened in the hallway behind me, behind the audience seating area, during a city commission meeting, while I was giving my General Public Comment at the podium...
"I don't know about you, but when I'm talking,
I don't really hear what others are saying," I told her...
I went on to say that my back was to the incident. However, the Mayor, Vice Mayor, all the commissioners, and everyone else seated in the front were all looking directly at the incident. In fact, I stopped talking to them from the podium when I saw the Mayor's eyes divert away from me, to behind me in the direction of the hallway. He was looking right at the incident.
If they wanted to subpoena me, I said, everyone seated up front facing the incident during that city commission meeting needed to be subpoenaed as well. She agreed.
If they wanted to subpoena me, I said, everyone seated up front facing the incident during that city commission meeting needed to be subpoenaed as well. She agreed.
So I left a message for the cadets with the subpoena to call me back. That was two weeks ago, and they haven't yet.
We haven't had another police officer visit, either. Though I haven't been back to a city commission meeting, either.
At least the City of Battle Creek Water Department offers a smart meter "opt-out" (to a program we never opted-into, in the first place). Twenty-dollars a month (unless it's gone up by now) will keep an unnecessary microwave radiation pulsing device from the City of Battle Creek's Water Department off your home.
Such a deal.
Not.
*When I use the term "smart meter," I am referring to ALL new non-analog pubic utility meters. They've been called a lot of different things, and the names have changed a few times. But the one thing they all have in common is that they are electronic and not analog.
Such a deal.
Not.
*When I use the term "smart meter," I am referring to ALL new non-analog pubic utility meters. They've been called a lot of different things, and the names have changed a few times. But the one thing they all have in common is that they are electronic and not analog.
