This opinion piece, does not represent the majority opinion of the JoCo BOCC.
A sad state of affairs I must report concerning the Thursday, May 9, 2024 JoCo Board of County Commissioners’ meeting. Alas and alack, Mother’s Day went missing from our county’s proclamations. Ah yes, no time to recognize the value of Motherhood and include it on our Proclamation fame list.
A proclamation is the recognition of a group by the Chairman of the BOCC, Mike Kelly. These groups or individuals are then encouraged to make remarks at the podium which are videoed and broadcasted (and afforded a photo op) providing them a public platform. However, folks who speak during the Public Comments portion of BOCC meetings are not afforded the same courtesy. Their non-public, public comments are banned and censored by the majority of the BOCC from being videoed or broadcasted on the county’s site. Ah, picking and choosing who is heard and seen and who is not.
The 2024 Proclamation list to date:
- February 8, Red Friday for the KC Chiefs
- February 22, Black History Month
- February 29, Severe Weather Awareness Week
- March 7, Women in Construction Month and Purchasing Month (of which we do a lot)
- March 28, Public Health Week and National County Government Month
- April 4, Seven Days Proclamation
- April 18, National Volunteer Recognition Week
- April 25 Autism Acceptance Month
- May 2, Mental Health Awareness Month and Fentanyl Awareness Day
2023 Proclamations did NOT recognize Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, National Day of Prayer, Flag Day, or even the 4th of July, Christmas or Easter. The following, beginning in May, made the 2023 Proclamation list:
- May 11, Child Care Provider Appreciation Month and Mental Health Awareness Month
- May 18, National EMS Week and Building Safety Month
- June 1, National Gun Violence Awareness Day (Gun Control)
- June 8, Juneteenth Day and Women Veterans
- June 15, Pride Month (LBGTQ+++)
- June 22, National Association Award, Suicide Prevention
- July 27, Korean War Veterans Armistice Day, Feed the Need Recognition Awards and Distinguished Budget Presentation for the 2023 Budget Document (one of my favorites, maybe an award for raising your property taxes?)
- August 17, National Breastfeeding Month and ETC’s Institutes Leading the Way Award
- August 24, Garmin KC Air Show and NACWA award (National Association of Clean Water Agencies)
- August 31, Emergency Preparedness Month
- September 7, Suicide Prevention Month and Direct Support Professional Appreciation Week
- September 14, National Co-Responder and Crisis Responder Month, Welcoming Week (illegal immigration) and National Recovery Month
- October 5, Disability Employment Awareness Month and Hispanic Heritage Month
- October 12, Substance Abuse Month, United Way, and KanCare Expansion (Medicaid Expansion?)
- October 19, Imagine a Day Without Water and National Day of Friends of Libraries Week
- October 26, National Arts and Humanities Month and Community Planning Month
- November 2, Veterans Day
- November 9, Diwali (Festival of Lights) and Peg Deaton Award
- November 16, National Injury Prevention Day
- December 14, United Way Award
So, in order to help amend our board’s horrible insult of exclusion (where is the inclusion???) by not acknowledging and honoring Mother’s Day, I recognized Mother’s Day 2024 during my Commissioner Comments. AND here’s another shout out to all mothers this Sunday, May the 12th!!!! HAPPY MOTHER’S Day!!!!
