A Grotesque Display of Public Service

Comments after viewing the tape of the City Council's Tuesday, 7 March 2006 City Council meeting on the pulled Consent Calendar item, "Review and approve the response to the 2005 Grand Jury Report and direct staff to submit the response no later than April 3, 2006."

MYTHS PERPETRATED BY THE CITY COUNCIL/CITY ATTORNEY

1. The focus of the 2005 Grand Jury Report on Open Government WAS NOT Carmel-by-the-Sea. (McCloud, Rose).

Rebuttal: In the BACKGROUND section of the Grand Jury Report, the Report states "A number of complaints were received from residents and former employees of the City of Carmel-by-the-Sea...Procedures for all cities were reviewed, but the focus was on the City of Carmel-by-the-Sea." Ergo, all of the complaints were from individuals associated with Carmel-by-the-Sea, NOT Marina, Seaside, Monterey, Pacific Grove, Salinas, Greenfield, King City, etc.

2. Open government is televised meetings and agendas at the Post Office. (McCloud)

Rebuttal: If McCloud, after 30 plus years as a government bureaucrat in the CIA, believes that open government is televised meetings and agendas at the Post Office, then she obviously does not have the intellectual acumen to recognize the ideal of public service, let alone the ability to practice its attendant principles.

3. Individuals who spoke during the public hearing had not read the Grand Jury Report. (Rose)

Rebuttal: If Rose's statement was true, then why is it that the three residents who addressed the City Council during the hearing display vastly more comprehension of the Grand Jury Report than anyone representing the City?

4. The Grand Jury Report should not be considered seriously because it was the product of lay people. (Rose)

Rebuttal: Then why did the City Council Members, City Attorney & City Administrator act so defensively? "The lady (City Council) doth protest too much, methinks."

5. The City already has implemented the Grand Jury's recommendations. (Freeman)

Rebuttal: If this statement was true, one would have to believe that all of the numerous individuals who submitted complaints to the Grand Jury are mentally disturbed.

6. We could always look for ways to improve, but we are already meeting or exceeding all of the legal requirements for open government. (Cunningham)

Rebuttal: And who again are the ones who didn't either read or understand the contents of the Grand Jury Report?

Finally, after the public hearing closed, the City Council Members, City Attorney and City Administrator FAILED to speak directly to the concerns and criticisms of the three residents who spoke. Overall, the City Council's disgraceful performance was an INSULT to the Grand Jury Members and the public!