Janesville THC ordinance tabled

Prior to walking out of the Monday, Feb. 27 city council meeting in protest over its decision to table any decision on a THC ordinance for six months, council member Melissa Kopachek  spent  about ten minutes of “public forum” time expressing dissatisfaction with how she has been treated,  and with how the city has been run in the past and the present.

“I’m tired of having to pause every two months to remind this city that I deserve respect. And I’m tired of losing my words to council members that decide that my words do not hold the same merit as [theirs],” Kopacheck stated, claiming that the official minutes, as well as newspaper articles covering many meetings, do not sufficiently reflect disrespectful and dismissive actions and comments aimed at her.

Kopachek claimed the source of disrespectful treatment comes from her difficult upbringing. 

“I’m a product of a divorce that found me in and out of the foster care system throughout the last four years of high school,” she continued. “I experienced horrors as a child growing up that no one should ever have to know.” Kopachek told those in attendance that she is a 2014 graduate of JWP high school, and that, “I have been a victim of the narrow-minded ways of this city [since] long before I became a politician.”

“For decades, the city of Janesville has quietly allowed these antics to fly under the radar with the assistance of tight-knit connections. But I’m here to blow the lid off it all.”

Kopacheck went on to describe three incidents she claimed were particularly egregious. During one meeting in 2019, she claimed that an intoxicated member of the golf course governing board “accosted” her in front of a number of other council members, yet no one assisted her and the board member was never disciplined. In another case, also in 2019, she claimed to have received a “23-paragraph email” from utilities manager Nate Zimmerman berating her actions and choices. In this case, too, she stated others were aware of the email and its tone, and responded only with unspoken approval.

Her final example was that, in the summer of 2020, City Attorney Moran posted a social media threat against her which read, “Load your kids into your minivan and pray to God you don’t get shot.” She further claimed he encouraged his friends to  threaten her as well. Kopachek stated that, when she mentioned this incident to Rogers, he did nothing.

“There is blatant mistreatment, and this behavior has been exhibited time and time again and yet nothing is ever done,” stated Kopachek. 

“I am the reason why you have a recording system. I am the reason why there’s transparency in people’s living rooms. I am the reason why the golf course was able to do away with the levy because I reinstated the board. I pushed for reconciliation for that. For three years, I’ve lobbied at the state for gas taxes, sewer and waste management, and daycare. None of that warrants me time to speak uninterrupted and not be discounted.

“I have more contributions to this city than all four of you in my pinky. I’m tired of being disrespected time and time again. We will never have a young, youthful group at this board if we continue to allow this type of behavior to pass through.”

Kopachek has posted a recording of the Janesville Council meeting on her “Melissa Kopachek, Councilwoman” Facebook page.

https://www.facebook.com/MelissaKopachekCouncilwoman/videos/142975678687319.