Flying at Half-Staff
As much as I complain about City Staff doing a poor job in this community, there are some things that just make me scratch my head and blow my hair back.
Such was the case on Thursday Night at the Davis Human Relations Commission Meeting. Last month, a representative from the ACLU had requested the HRC place an item on the agenda to discuss the possibility of recommending to the city council that they pass a resolution to support SB 1019. SB 1019, as the regulars on this blog know, would enable police oversight commissions to conduct their hearings once again in public and report the results of sustained complaints to the public.
The membership of the HRC apparently agreed to the request by the ACLU and placed the item on the agenda for the June Meeting of the HRC on Thursday.
Well I go to the meeting to watch this, and the city staffer Kelly Stachowicz, acknowledges that she has not prepared a staff report for the meeting. She tells the commission some of the basics of the bill but leaves out key details.
I am only a member of the public, so I am not allowed to speak and have to listen for about 20 minutes as the commission goes back and forth with incorrect and incomplete details. Police Chief Landy Black for instance suggests that he doesn’t think that Davis needs another layer of oversight.
Well, no one explains to them that this bill has no impact on Davis. All it does is restore local control on the issue, it does not impose any changes on communities that do not already have civilian oversight boards. So it would not impose another layer of oversight on Davis. All it would do, is if Davis in the future wanted a civilian review board, it would allow Davis to report the findings in public.
The ultimate decision made by the commission was that they needed more information. I cannot blame them for that. So they are bringing it back for their July 26, 2007 meeting–which is fine, but it might be moot by then at least for this legislative term as the Assembly Committee is meeting again on July 3.
There were two major problems with this meeting. First, the staffer failed to do a staff report and of course no one on the commission questioned that. Second, in the past, chairs have allowed members of the public with specific knowledge about the issue to speak more informally, but this chair did not. Commissions by design are supposed to be considerably less rigid in structure precisely for this type of scenario.
Moving Left
Two weeks ago in this space, we told you that Davis City Councilmember Don Saylor was heavily promoting the movie “SiCKO” from *Roger* Moore. Well I get word from the health care rally, that Mr. Saylor once again showed up and tried to get his picture taken with everyone holding up a health care sign–people that are not his allies and people that he has attacked in public and private. Must be election time and in Davis that means you move hard to the left to show that you are indeed a liberal.
People just need to remember his voting record while on council. I’m waiting for him to renounce his support for Target, Covell Village, 3rd and B, the lowering of the Anderson Bank Building Windows, his opposition to the HRC and civilian oversight of the police, his refusal to vote on an anti-war resolution, etc. You cannot run from your voting record.
And of course when everyone else was enthusiastically cheering for the speeches, Mr. Saylor was looking rather stoic. You can’t fool us.
Outrage
We were at Farmer’s Market on Saturday getting the pulse of the town. The pulse of the town is outrage at the proposed development along I-80. It is outrage at the 3rd and B project. And it is outrage at the prospect of water rates tripling over the next decade.
The water issue is particularly pernicious because most people simply have no idea that their rates are going up. The water supply issue is particularly complicated because the people advising the city on the issue have a financial interest in the city constructing a bypass of Sacramento River water.
There is no such confusion on the Stem Cell Research Facility on I-80–no one we met was in favor of it. This is the classic Tskaopoulos approach, he’s giving the carrot in the form of the research facility, but the real proposal is housing and commercial development on a massive scale. Other communities have seen right through the scheme, so Yolo is going to fall for it?
This would be DOA if Davis’ representatives on the Board of Supervisors were doing their jobs of representing the needs and desires of Davis. Yolo County Supervisors Matt Rexroad and Duane Chamberlain are opposing this. And yet, we may have to fight this because Davis’ two county supervisors Mariko Yamada and Helen Thomson favor it. Davis better look long and hard at the next Supervisor for the 4th District this coming election to insure that they will oppose development on the periphery of Davis. It is that simple.
—Doug Paul Davis reporting
We’ve heard this story before. The Tskaopoulos “mushroom cloud” is more of Helen Thomson’s terror scare tactics; we stood our ground when it was tried with Covell Village. I would like to hear more details from Supervisor Yamada about this “Joint Study” concept.. Do all Yolo cities also have to agree to this same process? The term “study” has a recent unsavory history in Davis, e.g., the closing of Valley Oak and the current surface water proposal. Each was politically designed and executed as a tactic to bring about a predetermined position rather than as a vehicle for open and full exploration of the issues to inform the Davis voter.
We’ve heard this story before. The Tskaopoulos “mushroom cloud” is more of Helen Thomson’s terror scare tactics; we stood our ground when it was tried with Covell Village. I would like to hear more details from Supervisor Yamada about this “Joint Study” concept.. Do all Yolo cities also have to agree to this same process? The term “study” has a recent unsavory history in Davis, e.g., the closing of Valley Oak and the current surface water proposal. Each was politically designed and executed as a tactic to bring about a predetermined position rather than as a vehicle for open and full exploration of the issues to inform the Davis voter.
We’ve heard this story before. The Tskaopoulos “mushroom cloud” is more of Helen Thomson’s terror scare tactics; we stood our ground when it was tried with Covell Village. I would like to hear more details from Supervisor Yamada about this “Joint Study” concept.. Do all Yolo cities also have to agree to this same process? The term “study” has a recent unsavory history in Davis, e.g., the closing of Valley Oak and the current surface water proposal. Each was politically designed and executed as a tactic to bring about a predetermined position rather than as a vehicle for open and full exploration of the issues to inform the Davis voter.
We’ve heard this story before. The Tskaopoulos “mushroom cloud” is more of Helen Thomson’s terror scare tactics; we stood our ground when it was tried with Covell Village. I would like to hear more details from Supervisor Yamada about this “Joint Study” concept.. Do all Yolo cities also have to agree to this same process? The term “study” has a recent unsavory history in Davis, e.g., the closing of Valley Oak and the current surface water proposal. Each was politically designed and executed as a tactic to bring about a predetermined position rather than as a vehicle for open and full exploration of the issues to inform the Davis voter.
“…Davis’ two supervisors Yamada and Thomson favor it.”
..don’t know if that’s really accurate. Didn’t Yamada only say that she has an “open mind”?
“…Davis’ two supervisors Yamada and Thomson favor it.”
..don’t know if that’s really accurate. Didn’t Yamada only say that she has an “open mind”?
“…Davis’ two supervisors Yamada and Thomson favor it.”
..don’t know if that’s really accurate. Didn’t Yamada only say that she has an “open mind”?
“…Davis’ two supervisors Yamada and Thomson favor it.”
..don’t know if that’s really accurate. Didn’t Yamada only say that she has an “open mind”?
Councilman Saylor’s achilles heel is his sell-out to developer interests and his breach of the public trust when he “misinformed” the voters about facts in his advocacy for the defeated Covell Village project. We can be sure that he will be laying low and not taking the lead in pressing developer interests, at least not until after the 2008 Council election.
Councilman Saylor’s achilles heel is his sell-out to developer interests and his breach of the public trust when he “misinformed” the voters about facts in his advocacy for the defeated Covell Village project. We can be sure that he will be laying low and not taking the lead in pressing developer interests, at least not until after the 2008 Council election.
Councilman Saylor’s achilles heel is his sell-out to developer interests and his breach of the public trust when he “misinformed” the voters about facts in his advocacy for the defeated Covell Village project. We can be sure that he will be laying low and not taking the lead in pressing developer interests, at least not until after the 2008 Council election.
Councilman Saylor’s achilles heel is his sell-out to developer interests and his breach of the public trust when he “misinformed” the voters about facts in his advocacy for the defeated Covell Village project. We can be sure that he will be laying low and not taking the lead in pressing developer interests, at least not until after the 2008 Council election.
Hey DPD, I thought View from West Davis was supposed to be more of an irreverent musing…
I guess it is a serious City.
Hey DPD, I thought View from West Davis was supposed to be more of an irreverent musing…
I guess it is a serious City.
Hey DPD, I thought View from West Davis was supposed to be more of an irreverent musing…
I guess it is a serious City.
Hey DPD, I thought View from West Davis was supposed to be more of an irreverent musing…
I guess it is a serious City.
“Davis better look long and hard at the next Supervisor for the 4th District this coming election to insure that they will oppose development on the periphery of Davis. It is that simple.”
DPD.. you mean, of couse,opposition to development on Davis’ periphery without approval of the City of Davis as per the Pass-Through agreement.
“Davis better look long and hard at the next Supervisor for the 4th District this coming election to insure that they will oppose development on the periphery of Davis. It is that simple.”
DPD.. you mean, of couse,opposition to development on Davis’ periphery without approval of the City of Davis as per the Pass-Through agreement.
“Davis better look long and hard at the next Supervisor for the 4th District this coming election to insure that they will oppose development on the periphery of Davis. It is that simple.”
DPD.. you mean, of couse,opposition to development on Davis’ periphery without approval of the City of Davis as per the Pass-Through agreement.
“Davis better look long and hard at the next Supervisor for the 4th District this coming election to insure that they will oppose development on the periphery of Davis. It is that simple.”
DPD.. you mean, of couse,opposition to development on Davis’ periphery without approval of the City of Davis as per the Pass-Through agreement.
Anonymous: Just kind of works out the way it works out sometimes. This particular column started out much lighter and grew heavier as I wrote it.
Anonymous: Just kind of works out the way it works out sometimes. This particular column started out much lighter and grew heavier as I wrote it.
Anonymous: Just kind of works out the way it works out sometimes. This particular column started out much lighter and grew heavier as I wrote it.
Anonymous: Just kind of works out the way it works out sometimes. This particular column started out much lighter and grew heavier as I wrote it.
“The pulse of the town is outrage at the proposed development along I-80. It is outrage at the 3rd and B project. And it is outrage at the prospect of water rates tripling over the next decade.”
A lot of angry people at the Farmer’s Market! Sounds like a dangerous place.
Ask them how much they are currently paying per month for water. I bet most have no idea.
“The pulse of the town is outrage at the proposed development along I-80. It is outrage at the 3rd and B project. And it is outrage at the prospect of water rates tripling over the next decade.”
A lot of angry people at the Farmer’s Market! Sounds like a dangerous place.
Ask them how much they are currently paying per month for water. I bet most have no idea.
“The pulse of the town is outrage at the proposed development along I-80. It is outrage at the 3rd and B project. And it is outrage at the prospect of water rates tripling over the next decade.”
A lot of angry people at the Farmer’s Market! Sounds like a dangerous place.
Ask them how much they are currently paying per month for water. I bet most have no idea.
“The pulse of the town is outrage at the proposed development along I-80. It is outrage at the 3rd and B project. And it is outrage at the prospect of water rates tripling over the next decade.”
A lot of angry people at the Farmer’s Market! Sounds like a dangerous place.
Ask them how much they are currently paying per month for water. I bet most have no idea.
“A lot of angry people at the Farmer’s Market! Sounds like a dangerous place.”
Guess you would’a had to’ve been there? Actually, we’re mostly just interested in talking about happenings/developments/gossip around town.
“A lot of angry people at the Farmer’s Market! Sounds like a dangerous place.”
Guess you would’a had to’ve been there? Actually, we’re mostly just interested in talking about happenings/developments/gossip around town.
“A lot of angry people at the Farmer’s Market! Sounds like a dangerous place.”
Guess you would’a had to’ve been there? Actually, we’re mostly just interested in talking about happenings/developments/gossip around town.
“A lot of angry people at the Farmer’s Market! Sounds like a dangerous place.”
Guess you would’a had to’ve been there? Actually, we’re mostly just interested in talking about happenings/developments/gossip around town.
Re. public comments at commission meeting: As a city staff member who has been a staff commission liaison for many years, my understanding is that the public has a right to address any commission on an agenda item. They can also speak during “public communications” on any issue within the commission’s purview that’s not on the agenda. I hope you can follow up by checking with Kelly. Allowing public comment is critical to a commission’s having the input they need from the community.
Esther Polito
Re. public comments at commission meeting: As a city staff member who has been a staff commission liaison for many years, my understanding is that the public has a right to address any commission on an agenda item. They can also speak during “public communications” on any issue within the commission’s purview that’s not on the agenda. I hope you can follow up by checking with Kelly. Allowing public comment is critical to a commission’s having the input they need from the community.
Esther Polito
Re. public comments at commission meeting: As a city staff member who has been a staff commission liaison for many years, my understanding is that the public has a right to address any commission on an agenda item. They can also speak during “public communications” on any issue within the commission’s purview that’s not on the agenda. I hope you can follow up by checking with Kelly. Allowing public comment is critical to a commission’s having the input they need from the community.
Esther Polito
Re. public comments at commission meeting: As a city staff member who has been a staff commission liaison for many years, my understanding is that the public has a right to address any commission on an agenda item. They can also speak during “public communications” on any issue within the commission’s purview that’s not on the agenda. I hope you can follow up by checking with Kelly. Allowing public comment is critical to a commission’s having the input they need from the community.
Esther Polito
Let me clarify: I was allowed to speak towards the end of the discussion, unfortunately, had I been allowed to speak earlier I could have headed off much of the discussion that was directed toward things that the bill did not do. It was very frustrating. IN the past, the structure of meetings has been much less rigid and members of the public can help the commission with key information that they may not have.
Let me clarify: I was allowed to speak towards the end of the discussion, unfortunately, had I been allowed to speak earlier I could have headed off much of the discussion that was directed toward things that the bill did not do. It was very frustrating. IN the past, the structure of meetings has been much less rigid and members of the public can help the commission with key information that they may not have.
Let me clarify: I was allowed to speak towards the end of the discussion, unfortunately, had I been allowed to speak earlier I could have headed off much of the discussion that was directed toward things that the bill did not do. It was very frustrating. IN the past, the structure of meetings has been much less rigid and members of the public can help the commission with key information that they may not have.
Let me clarify: I was allowed to speak towards the end of the discussion, unfortunately, had I been allowed to speak earlier I could have headed off much of the discussion that was directed toward things that the bill did not do. It was very frustrating. IN the past, the structure of meetings has been much less rigid and members of the public can help the commission with key information that they may not have.
I’m glad you did indeed get a chance to comment, however frustrating the misinformation must have been. You might check with Kelly about when public comments are permitted. They should be heard before any substantive discussion. Typically, this means that the agenda item starts with the staff report, continues with any specific questions from the Commission, and then is followed by comments from the public. Discussion should come at the end. That way, commissioners can choose to ask a member of the public for more information on any point that needs clarification, before a decision is made. That method, if used correctly, can help both inform the commission and effectively engage the public in decision making. Timing the way input is given is really critical.
I’m glad you did indeed get a chance to comment, however frustrating the misinformation must have been. You might check with Kelly about when public comments are permitted. They should be heard before any substantive discussion. Typically, this means that the agenda item starts with the staff report, continues with any specific questions from the Commission, and then is followed by comments from the public. Discussion should come at the end. That way, commissioners can choose to ask a member of the public for more information on any point that needs clarification, before a decision is made. That method, if used correctly, can help both inform the commission and effectively engage the public in decision making. Timing the way input is given is really critical.
I’m glad you did indeed get a chance to comment, however frustrating the misinformation must have been. You might check with Kelly about when public comments are permitted. They should be heard before any substantive discussion. Typically, this means that the agenda item starts with the staff report, continues with any specific questions from the Commission, and then is followed by comments from the public. Discussion should come at the end. That way, commissioners can choose to ask a member of the public for more information on any point that needs clarification, before a decision is made. That method, if used correctly, can help both inform the commission and effectively engage the public in decision making. Timing the way input is given is really critical.
I’m glad you did indeed get a chance to comment, however frustrating the misinformation must have been. You might check with Kelly about when public comments are permitted. They should be heard before any substantive discussion. Typically, this means that the agenda item starts with the staff report, continues with any specific questions from the Commission, and then is followed by comments from the public. Discussion should come at the end. That way, commissioners can choose to ask a member of the public for more information on any point that needs clarification, before a decision is made. That method, if used correctly, can help both inform the commission and effectively engage the public in decision making. Timing the way input is given is really critical.
DPD said “Davis better look long and hard at the next Supervisor for the 4th District this coming election to insure that they will oppose development on the periphery of Davis. It is that simple.”
Why is it that you suppose that all development on the periphery of Davis should be opposed? Is it really Supervisor Yamada that supposedly has already made a decision, or is it people like DPD trying to masquerade as open minded when in fact they are against growth in any case and any cost, without regard or care for facts of a situation?
DPD said “Davis better look long and hard at the next Supervisor for the 4th District this coming election to insure that they will oppose development on the periphery of Davis. It is that simple.”
Why is it that you suppose that all development on the periphery of Davis should be opposed? Is it really Supervisor Yamada that supposedly has already made a decision, or is it people like DPD trying to masquerade as open minded when in fact they are against growth in any case and any cost, without regard or care for facts of a situation?
DPD said “Davis better look long and hard at the next Supervisor for the 4th District this coming election to insure that they will oppose development on the periphery of Davis. It is that simple.”
Why is it that you suppose that all development on the periphery of Davis should be opposed? Is it really Supervisor Yamada that supposedly has already made a decision, or is it people like DPD trying to masquerade as open minded when in fact they are against growth in any case and any cost, without regard or care for facts of a situation?
DPD said “Davis better look long and hard at the next Supervisor for the 4th District this coming election to insure that they will oppose development on the periphery of Davis. It is that simple.”
Why is it that you suppose that all development on the periphery of Davis should be opposed? Is it really Supervisor Yamada that supposedly has already made a decision, or is it people like DPD trying to masquerade as open minded when in fact they are against growth in any case and any cost, without regard or care for facts of a situation?
Anonymous at 9:18 AM –
I don’t think that DPD is masquerading as “open minded.” If you have read any of his critiques he is in fact not in favor of peripheral growth.
He is not against growth, but in favor of smart growth. I believe he even shared a story of what happened in his home town with growth on the periphery.
Please get your facts in order.
Anonymous at 9:18 AM –
I don’t think that DPD is masquerading as “open minded.” If you have read any of his critiques he is in fact not in favor of peripheral growth.
He is not against growth, but in favor of smart growth. I believe he even shared a story of what happened in his home town with growth on the periphery.
Please get your facts in order.
Anonymous at 9:18 AM –
I don’t think that DPD is masquerading as “open minded.” If you have read any of his critiques he is in fact not in favor of peripheral growth.
He is not against growth, but in favor of smart growth. I believe he even shared a story of what happened in his home town with growth on the periphery.
Please get your facts in order.
Anonymous at 9:18 AM –
I don’t think that DPD is masquerading as “open minded.” If you have read any of his critiques he is in fact not in favor of peripheral growth.
He is not against growth, but in favor of smart growth. I believe he even shared a story of what happened in his home town with growth on the periphery.
Please get your facts in order.
The County BOS correctly took the position that the Pass-Though agreement called for the Davis City Council, in the first place, and then citizens of Davis(through Measure J)to approve Davis peripheral development. Process dictated that the members of the BOS would not interject themselves in the Covell Village campaign. Only after Helen Thomson openly disregarded this agreement did Mariko Yamada publicly voice her concerns about the Covell Village project. The duties and responsibilites of Supervisor are not the same as those of the Davis City Council nor the State Assembly.
The County BOS correctly took the position that the Pass-Though agreement called for the Davis City Council, in the first place, and then citizens of Davis(through Measure J)to approve Davis peripheral development. Process dictated that the members of the BOS would not interject themselves in the Covell Village campaign. Only after Helen Thomson openly disregarded this agreement did Mariko Yamada publicly voice her concerns about the Covell Village project. The duties and responsibilites of Supervisor are not the same as those of the Davis City Council nor the State Assembly.
The County BOS correctly took the position that the Pass-Though agreement called for the Davis City Council, in the first place, and then citizens of Davis(through Measure J)to approve Davis peripheral development. Process dictated that the members of the BOS would not interject themselves in the Covell Village campaign. Only after Helen Thomson openly disregarded this agreement did Mariko Yamada publicly voice her concerns about the Covell Village project. The duties and responsibilites of Supervisor are not the same as those of the Davis City Council nor the State Assembly.
The County BOS correctly took the position that the Pass-Though agreement called for the Davis City Council, in the first place, and then citizens of Davis(through Measure J)to approve Davis peripheral development. Process dictated that the members of the BOS would not interject themselves in the Covell Village campaign. Only after Helen Thomson openly disregarded this agreement did Mariko Yamada publicly voice her concerns about the Covell Village project. The duties and responsibilites of Supervisor are not the same as those of the Davis City Council nor the State Assembly.