Archive for February, 2010
City Council, February 16, 2010
BY DBARBER | February 17, 2010Coyote Hills took center stage at the Fullerton City Council meeting as proponents of preserving and protecting the land marched from Fox Theatre to City Hall to speak during the public comment period. Members of Friends of Coyote Hills, who were not on the agenda, packed the last five rows of the council chambers but designated only two people to speak on their behalf.
Citing the recreational and environmental losses development could bring to the area, Wendell Hanks asked supporters to stand to emphasize their presence. His comments, as well as those by Helen Higgins, were applauded by their supporters, who promptly left the chamber when they were done. Video of the march.
In another motion, local activist Jane Reifer made an impassioned plea for greater scrutiny of development agreements made by the city that affect public transportation. Citing a proposal that suggested moving the Transportation Center to make room for commercial development, Reifer pointed out how other locations in the city have suffered from poor oversight, resulting in the reduction of sidewalks and safe biking areas, especially near St. Jude Medical Center. Mayor Don Bankhead said he felt the motion did not make any formal development agreements, and it was passed.
Other items discussed concerned community gardens, the abandonment of an alley near Richman Elementary School, the city’s official legislative platform, the public review process for the public outreach portion of the California High Speed Rail Project, financial statements and the Memorandum of Agreement with the Fullerton Police Management Assn. There was no report from closed session.
Perhaps the strangest moment of the night came during public comments when the first speaker started with “Mayor Don, good to see you,” and spoke about drugs, incest, freight trains and a food system mixed with lidocaine. “Fullerton, have a great night,” was his closing remark.
City Council, February 2, 2010
BY DBARBER | February 3, 2010Public comments may not always be wanted at the Fullerton City Council, but they will continue to be heard at the beginning of each meeting. To a round of applause, the agenda item proposing moving the public comment segment to the end of the city council meetings was removed without discussion or comment. Mayor Don Bankhead announced the removal had been made at the request of Council Member Dr. Richard Jones, who had originally proposed the action.
The council also voted to continue the method by which it selects the mayor each year, but with added language suggested by Council Member Sharon Quirk-SIlva. Citing perceived political influence in the non-partisan office, the motion was made by Quirk-Silva to specify that a council member’s turn as mayor will be based on seniority. If two or more members have equal seniority, the post will go the person who received the highest number of votes in the general election.
In a somewhat contentious discussion, Bankhead pointed out that three years ago he had been passed over for mayor even though he was the sitting mayor pro tem. He said that he had originally suggested the idea of a rotation years ago, and that the system has always worked well. Jones expressed concern that an automatic appointment could mean a person who has not done a good job on council could become mayor, unless “they had committed a felony.”
Current seniority would make Jones the next mayor, though his appointment must still be confirmed by a vote of the council. To further his objection to an automatic rotation, Jones wondered aloud what would happen if he “became a Communist,” to which an audience member yelled “that’s not a felony.”
The motion passed unanimously.