9/28/12 -- Read the latest City of Vallejo Newsletter
In this issue: Toys R Us / Babies R Us Opens, Free Wi Fi in City Hall, Fright Fest returns to Discovery Kingdom, Home Retention / Foreclosure Prevention Workshop this Saturday. Full Newsletter HERE
Your City Council Report
for September 25, 2012
By Marc Garman
9/27/12
editorial comments in italics
The meeting began packed with members of the community concerned over the recent police officer involved shootings in Vallejo, specifically the fatal shooting of Mario Romero and wounding of Joseph Johnson. The audience was also filled with neon yellow shirt clad members of Vallejo's IBEW union present due to the outsourcing of positions by the City.
Presentations and Commendations
The meeting began with the declaration that October 1-8 is Christian Help Center Week. Rey Bernardes and his Christian Help Center have been one of the few resources for Vallejo's homeless for many years.
October 1, 2012 was also declared World Habitat Day.
Several retiring Vallejo employees were honored for their service, but only Charles River, who served as a Fire Inspector for Vallejo FD and Debora Boutte who served as Vallejo's Human Resources Director were present to receive commendations from the City. Rivers' family was present, and he seemed both pleased and satisfied with his years of service, proudly announcing that he had never had a single day absent due to illness or any other reason in his 26 years with the City. Boutte was more somber, bordering on tears. Word is that Boutte was chosen to take the AXE for the bungled public safety contract notifications that delayed negotiations with Vallejo's Public Safety until 2013. This is just the WORD, and we'll never really get confirmation from behind the veil of HR confidentiality. I would say; however, that there were others who were also culpable, perhaps with even more institutional knowledge of the DNA of the contracts than Boutte who got a pass on the whole mess. Not to mention subcontractor negotiators and lawyers who also muddied the waters...plus the fact that the City has NEVER given formal written notification of intent to open contracts...EVER (or at least since the 80's). Past practice be damned...VPOA is gonna play hardball and Mr. Keen is going to trim where he sees fit. Just another Vallejo Style Cluster Funk. Someone had to get slammed.
First Community Forum
JD Miller, CPA began by checking up on the council for a pop quiz and book report. Apparently Miller has been prodding council with a book on leadership called Start with Why.
Brenda Brumfield-Ross, after giving HONOR TO GOD, which went over big with the crowd, began to speak about Vallejo's Sister City program and was followed by Pelton Stewart who extended an invite to the dedication of an “Anniversary Pole” at 4:30 PM in front of the Vallejo Ferry Building this Saturday as well as a fundraiser Saturday Night for the Sister City Association at the Mare Island Museum on Railroad and 8th. Tickets are $35, which includes dinner and entertainment. There will also be a silent auction.
Pam Keith and Liat Meitzenheimer spoke of their years of interaction with Debora Boutte, and how Boutte went above and beyond the call of duty many times. Keith referred to the time she and Boutte stayed up all night together printing fliers for Unity Day, adding “We probably shouldn't talk about that,” to laughter.
Meitzenheimer thanked Boutte for her years of service and involvement running the meetings of the Human Relations Committee and being “always prepared,”
Ward Stewart spoke briefly about Vallejo's connection with La Spetzia, Italy through the Sister City program.
(Failure to) Consent Calendar -- Items 7D and 7C PULLED
Item 7D was pulled for discussion. The rub here is that Vallejo is hiring a consulting firm to provide building “plan check” services to the tune of $500,000 or so bucks a year rather than hiring regular of part time employees in house. This has the City's IBEW (International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers) all riled up. They see this as outsourcing of THEIR jobs...and not entirely without cause. Eleanor Brown, president of IBEW 2376 described the proposed action as “privatization of a whole division.”
Ultimately, the matter was continued until a later date. The staff member on the HOT PLATE for this was Economic Development Director Ursula Luna Reynosa. Reynosa who took quite a beating for the second time recently (The Callahan waterfront project was hers as well). And while this sort of contracting out may not be uncommon in other cities...this is Vallejo.
A word to Ms. Luna-Reynosa and City Staff et al. (but especially newbies)
A friendly hint...since I hate to see anyone take the sort of regular flogging Ms. Luna-Reynosa has been dealt (And how it speaks to the greater condition)...This is Vallejo dammit. We have been through the HELL of bankruptcy and back. THIS IS NOT A NORMAL CITY. If anyone even remotely thinks you are trying to steal the sausage off their plate...THEY WILL STAB YOU WITH THE GODDAMN FORK OVER AND OVER AGAIN AND NOT JUST IN YOUR PAW. THEY WILL GO FOR THE JUGULAR. So, don't assume that folks will be OK with something that may be “normal” elsewhere. You will get yourself smacked again and again with that sort of assumption. Remember, there is a lack of trust and a great deal of suspicion in Vallejo between many groups: Citizen & Government, Employee & Management, Cops & Citizens, Citizens & Citizens...it goes on and is one of our greatest hurdles....this distrust...but it exists for a reason. So many people either believe they have been screwed...or really have been...not that it matters anymore..the damage has been done and continues to be done...and will continue to spread unless something changes. Building trust in Vallejo will take a long time. While some bridges have been built, others have been torn down. It seems more have been torn down lately.
As to what the City and staff need to do? One word: COMMUNICATE! Communicate until you are blue in the face. Think of new ways to communicate. Ask people what they think. Be transparent in what you are doing. Especially to the concerned or even possibly concerned parties. The City of Vallejo has been traditionally LOUSY at communicating even when employees are doing a great job.
Comments from the dais:
Councilmember Sampayan: “Does this agreement violate the contract with IBEW?”
Assistant City Manager Whittom: “We do not believe it does.”
Councilmember Gomes: “Did we get bids? Did you work with IBEW, talk to the leaders?
Luna-Reynosa: I was not aware of the need.”
Councilmember Hannigan: “Have we considered hiring a plan checker?” (in house)
Luna-Reynosa: “It would be a lot more expensive, we'd probably have to contract out as well.”
Councilmember Sunga: “There is a lot of frustration among business people because they cannot talk to someone face-to face. By contracting out, we're adding a layer of frustration.” (Sunga added that it is sometimes worth paying more for better service.)
Luna-Reynosa: “It is a budgeted position, but I hesitate to hire someone due to economic uncertainties.”
Sunga: “There is no loyalty among those contract people.” (total applause from audience.)
Councilmember Brown: “Most cities do it this way.” (boos)
Councilmember Gomes: “I'm not comfortable with the cost.” (Urged staff to speak with IBEW president.)
City Manager Keen: (I want to) “ask to continue this item so staff can bring it back.”
The item was continued. Staff will look at costs and potential cost savings of contracting out vs. filling the position with a regular full or part time plan checker. UNANIMOUS.
7C Parking Structure Fee Study
Ross Woody urged council to reconsider entering into an agreement with Nelson Nygaard Consulting Services. He feels that the firms numbers were incorrect in the past.
Motion approved UNANIMOUSLY.
8B and 8A swap positions
8B Participatory Budgeting Playbook
They want fourteen year olds and non-residents to vote?
Public Comment
Burky Worel hates Participatory Budgeting. He hates the $250,000 price tag. He hates the idea. He hates the process. “We are paying people from New York $250,000 to set up this process?” he asked shaking his head and concluded, “I don't really think this is going to transform our democracy.”
Jesse Chiewa [sic] has the opposite impression. “This would allow more democracy into our neighborhoods,” she said citing PB in Vallejo as “an example for the rest of the Bay Area.”
Katy Miessner, on the PB Steering Committee urged the council to “Vote for this rulebook,”
From the Dais
Councilmember Brown, responsible for bringing PB to Vallejo thanked the steering committee adding that she was “incredibly impressed” with their work.
Mayor Davis described the process as “like a vacation fund” for a family that cannot put food on the table. Councilmembers Sunga and Hannigan were also, unsurprisingly opposed to the idea.
Gomes and Sampayan found fault with some of the provisions of the proposed PB Rulebook (say that 10 time fast) specifically provisions allowing residents as young as fourteen years of age to vote, and non-resident “stake-holders” who work or own businesses to vote in the PB process.
The PB Rulebook was approved, but with changes: a) You must be 16 years of age to vote in the process b) You must be a resident of Vallejo or adjacent unincorporated area.
The motion carried with Brown, Gomes, Sampayan and McConnell in favor. Hannigan, Davis and Sunga opposed.
8A Request by Mayor Davis in response to the Officer Involved Shooting incident of September 2, 2012
Seven officer involved shootings and five fatalities in one year is too much. Regardless of who was right or wrong. Ultimately, Mayor Davis did the right thing in asking to bring in Attorney General Kamala Harris to investigate and suggested implementing the use of police body cameras among other things. And while he did grandstand as politicians will...taking input and suggestions form numerous community members and claiming them as his own...it just needs to be done.
The motion did pass unanimously. Here are voices from the audience. The crowd was loud and emotional with numerous outbursts:
Burky Worel (past president VPOA): “I hope the council will support this.”
Carol Heppe (Public Safety Committee member): “..move forward post-haste”
Cynthia Dilli: “I had a home invasion by two Vallejo Police Department members. I was afraid for the first time.”
Cephus Johnson (Uncle of Oscar Grant) “What is happening with our children? Young men of color are dying.”
Marco ( ) to Mayor Davis: “I'm glad you stepped up.”
Charles DuBois: “The police are out of control.” added that the Attorney General is NOT independent and is part of the system.
Topaz: “The children suffer the most.” holding a feathered (scepter ?) which she shook frequently.
Natasha ( ): wife of Mario Romero: “My daughter cries for her daddy every day.”
Native American man wearing red bandana who declined to give his name: “Why are you holding on to his body? This is too long. They need to put their child in the earth.”
Anque Harris: (sitster of Mario Romero) “I don't feel safe in the community with Vallejo PD.”
Cynquita Martin (sister of Mario Romero “My children are scared of the police.”
Derek Martin: (nephew of Mario Romero) “I heard a police officer say he would shoot my mother in the face.”
Anna Lee Harris: (sister of Mario Romero) “I do not feel safe in Solano County.”
Cynthia Mitchell: (mother of Mario Romero) “Looking forward to an outside investigation.” “It hurts me to my heart knowing there are human beings like this.” “These police should be arrested and prosecuted.”
Pam Keith: “This issue is much larger than the shooting of Mario Romero.” urged increased dialog with community and public meetings.
Pelton Stewart “In SF they are implementing a program to help the families.” urged Vallejo to explore similar.
Sister of Mario Romero: “Interim Police Chief Kreins lied calling him a parollee.” (referenced press conference family was barred from) “made up lies and slander a man who his subordinates killed.” “No criminal should be allowed to investigate themselves.”
From the dais
Councilmember McConnell: “A wise decision, overdue.” “If we don't work together for a common goal, we will all fail.”
Councilmember Sampayan: “ I support this.”
Councilmember Hannigan: “Hopefully, we'll never have another opportunity to hear children speak about being afraid of police.”
Councilmember Sunga: ”About time for us to do something.”
Gomes: “It's not easy to listen to the pain.” “I support what the Mayor is doing.” Reminded audience of the Dec. 13, 2011 council meeting and the intense heckling she and councilmember Brown took from the police present over the creation of the Citizens Ad-Hoc Public Safety Advisory Committee. Gomes stated that there is a need for a Citizens' Police Review Board in Vallejo. “The puiblic needs a place to go talk about it,” she said.
At one point a heckler from the audience shouted at Gomes demanding, “Will you hold your husband accountable. The Bum.” Gomes, who is married to retired police Captain Tony Pearsall was visibly shaken. Others in the audience shouted, “You're OK Gomes,” and demanded the heckler “Shut up.”
Brown: “It did feel like we walked through fire to create that committee,” referencing Citizens' Ad-Hoc Public Safety Advisory Committee. “Wish we had started in 2010,” she said adding, “We need the Police Review Board.” “We can't keep addressing every crisis as it happens.”
Mayor Davis: to Brown, “I agree with you. This is a start. Just a start.”
The motion was approved UNANIMOUSLY
The crowd turned somewhat unruly as several police officers stood in chambers and the lobby of City Hall. “Release the video of Guy Jarreau's murder!!” was shouted from the back of the chambers. The Native American man in the red bandana stood outside shouting at police and threatening with “Come see me. I got my own Dojo.” The crowd dispersed gradually and without major incident as numerous police stood by, with additional squad cars arriving for back-up, just in case.
Thoughts and observations
For the most part, those directly involved with this incident have conducted themselves with more restraint and decency than one would expect. I have found this to be especially true in conversations with and in observing the family of Mario Romero and Joseph Johnson.
And while intense emotion over such an incident is more than expected, there seems to be a small subset of outside agitators intent on propelling this difficult situation towards violence or a confrontation with police. Professional protesters looking for self aggrandizement have descended on an opportunity and seem to be the ones looking for conflict rather than any solutions. Misguided and misinformed shouts intended to inflame. Faces I have seen at various protests for any number of issues shouting the same shouts in favor of violence, for no reason other than some misguided narcissism. And while those who have come from outside (and within)Vallejo with genuine intent and sincere effort to help are welcome, we must continue to guard against those who seek conflagration for its own sake. So far so good. Let's keep working together for positive and permanent change. More violence is not the way.
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