Call to investigate the City attorney

At every council meeting of late like 6 or 7 in a row former Council Member Don Larkin comes in late, and sits in the second to last row of seats. Larkin immediately takes out his phone and starts text messaging. At the same time City Attorney Harper takes out his phone and starts text messaging. Hmmm ....... If Mr. Harper was taking notes the note taking would not be done just at the same time Mr. Larkin arrives. What ever is being text messaged is so far off the topic of Council business Mr Harper has been caught off guard and off topic, a several times. Does he get paid for being at meetings for the purpose of paying attention, and giving sound legal advice?

Well, lets begin with the advise he has provided.

The Brown Act requires Escrow to Close Before the CRA has to disclose the completion of a land negotiation or transaction.

Wrong... The Brown Act says Negotiations "MAY" be in closed session but when there is an action taken as a result of completion of negotiations, there should be public notice of that action. Going into ESCROW is a point of completion of negotiations. Escrow is the process by which the negotiations are proven out, and enforced by a third party.

The idea that the word "May" in the Brown Act means "MUST" may be his legal opinion, but it is fair to say Grand Terrace May want to know what he has been text messaging on our dime. Those records can be obtained for ever. Perhaps the City Council "MAY" want to have a discussion about the appearance of impropriety on his part. Is he billing Mr. Larkin for his time, or is the City Paying for Mr. Larkins legal advise?

I think the City should demand a full investigation on the text messages being sent during City Billed Time. With the full Disclosure of the messages made public. Unfortunately my investigations have not yet provided additional information about the content of the messages going through the air.

Perhaps, it is full of great ideas for the benefit of the City, it's time to share the note with the class fellows. Mayor Please read it out in front of the entire council and public and have it entered into the Public Record, as the Public has been paying for the Messages.

Posted by Anonymous......

If you have attended a City Council meeting or watched on T.V. you have heard the microphone at the podium go haywire and beep continually. At the Planning Commission meeting this is not the case. The mic only does it at council meeting when Mr.Larkin and City Attorney Harper are text messaging each other across the chambers. Perhaps it is time for the council to not allow any cell phone use during meetings or council members children behind the dias durning meeting. Its very distracting when Councilwoman Garcia brings her child to the meeting and he demands her attention when it should be focused on the peoples business.