09-06-09, Glendale Mayor Frank Quintero Eliminates “OR DURING” from the Brown Act!

 

The Brown Act states:

54954.3. (a) Every agenda for regular meetings shall provide an opportunity for members of the public to directly address the legislative body on any item of interest to the public,
before or during the legislative body's consideration of the item, that is within the subject matter jurisdiction of the legislative body, provided that no action shall be taken on any item not appearing on the agenda unless the action is otherwise authorized by subdivision (b) of Section 54954.2. However, the agenda need not provide an opportunity for members of the public to address the legislative body on any item that has already been considered by a committee, composed exclusively of members of the legislative body, at a public meeting wherein all interested members of the public were afforded the opportunity to address the committee on the item, before or during the committee's consideration of the item, unless the item has been substantially changed since the committee heard the item, as determined by the legislative body. Every notice for a special meeting shall provide an opportunity for members of the public to directly address the legislative body concerning any item that has been described in the notice for the meeting before or during consideration of that item.

 

In Glendale, from April 21, 2009 through today (September 6th) and counting, Mayor Frank Quintero has eliminated the "or during" from the public's right to address the Glendale City Council.  Unless a Speaker Card is turned in before consideration of the item commences, no member of the public is allowed to address the council on that agenda item, regardless of what previously unknown details are revealed in the presentations. 

During this 4 1/2 month period, not a single one of Glendale's other council members (John Drayman, Laura Friedman, Ara Najarian and Dave Weaver) has expressed any concern about this Quintero anti-public-input policy, which also has not been questioned by City Attorney Scott Howard or Senior Assistant City Attorney Michael Garcia, both of who have presided at subsequent council meetings.

Unless California Attorney General Edmund G. Brown Jr., or
Los Angeles County District Attorney Steve Cooley intercede, a precedent has been set that can be adopted by every legislative body in the state of California!

 

See VIDEO of Quintero enacting his “no or during” policy on his first day as mayor, April 21, 2009!

 

 

Hal Weber

halweber@earthlink.net