Real TV: City Council Meeting and the 3 Monkeys

Previously at the last City Council Meeting, City Manager Tom Schwab directed the council members not to answer questions asked by citizens during the public comment portion, and or at council meetings at all. Council Members Hilkey and Miller were upset at this situation, and at being hushed by current acting Mayor Ferre. They feel that the duty of a City Council Member is not to be one of the 3 Monkeys, "hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil". No they see the need to be open, and questioning of the current secretive practice and know that such practices foster a natural suspicion amongst the citizens.

This weeks agenda held an item for the purpose of discussing what can be said at a council meeting by council members. The legal council provided an interpretation of the Brown Act that comments, questions, clarifications and directions for staff members address particular queries can be made as a result of a citizens comments during the council meeting. However, no discussion, or decision can be made.

This seemed to be confusing: The Brown Act provisions are to allow the public the time and opportunity to speak to any action of the Council before it takes such action. (Of course this does not include "CLOSED" meetings).

Council Member Hilkey queried how can a citizen know what is entered into the record, what actions or resolutions were made to either the issues raised at Council Meetings or as a result of the MANY CLOSED meetings held by the City.

The resulting conversation on the agenda item ended in words but only one specific recommendation. Recommended was that all public comment and the response given by Staff and Council be included in the minutes of the Council Meetings. In addition copies of responses or documents mailed to the person raising an issue be provided to the Council and the Record.

It was also mentioned that the contract for the OAC be made available to the public.

Here is a real action item. Please put all records in PDF files on the City Web Page. In particular, all contracts, and codes, and Redevelopment Agency Negotiation Results, and Planning commission Findings.. Yes all that becomes a paper document should be available for public view. Certainly no future business should be conducted Cloaked from Public View, and some of the folks looking into the City's Practices may desire to assist in the processing of the old files to make them available also. This should be a function of the Historical Society as well.