Messages from Hal Weber to Mayor John Drayman
about Oral Communications and John’s Responses
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Reference: http://www.ci.glendale.ca.us/government/agenda_minutes/4A200804224.pdf
John:
The referenced Glendale City Council Agenda for Tuesday, 4-22-08, and posted on the bulletin board outside City Hall, shows Oral Communications as Agenda Item 6, despite your statement at last week's meeting that it would be at the end of this Tuesday's meeting.
Is it your intention to disregard the published agenda and actually conduct Oral Communications at the end of the meeting?
Considering the publicity that this issue has created, I believe that the public is entitled to clarification of this matter as soon as possible.
Thank you,
Hal Weber
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Hal-
When I glanced at your email, I thought you meant that somehow posted with the
agenda was some other document indicating something about the sequence of
items, including Oral Communications.
Now that I have gone online at your suggestion, I understand your comment.
The "printed" order of items on the agenda remains. It becomes
incumbent upon whomever is mayor to announce any changes to the agenda each
week as then-mayor Yousefian did when he made a similar change.
J
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John:
Forgive me for being so dense, but I still do not understand when
Oral Communications will occur during the
Will it occur in the printed order of items on the agenda, or does
the mayor have the prerogative to announce, during the meeting, a change in the
printed order of events?
Despite what you said during last week's meeting, or what was
published in the Glendale News-Press, "Mayor Drayman faces first salvo -
He moves the public comment part of the City Council meeting to the very end of
the agenda, drawing ire", [http://www.glendalenewspress.com/articles/2008/04/17/politics/gnp-rules17.txt],
it seems to me that the agenda published and posted by the city should be
gospel, and, with only minor exceptions, should be followed by the mayor.
Moving Oral Communications from agenda item #6 to the end of the meeting is far
from minor.
Hal
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Hal-
Sorry you don't understand. The
requirement is to announce the change each week. Just as Ara and Bob did
when they modified the structure of the meeting with regard to Oral
Communications and the agenda remained unchanged on paper. They too had
to announce the change each week.
Your comment that the change is not "minor" is true. Of course,
those are not my words. I never stated that. I simply believe that
the public's right to speak on agendized items is protected as well.
Currently, the public's business is left unaddressed until very late in the
meeting. Their right to be heard is protected speech as well.
Since no interest exists within the pool of regulars on OC to be courteous
enough to "share" the evening, some balance must be brought to the
table.
In fact, as I know you already know, the number of cities moving in this
direction is growing rapidly.
I do respect your view, Hal. We just disagree on this. Thank you
for always providing an outlet for both sides of issues.
Best regards,
J