In addition, it appears that Bob Aaronson will not even be in town to report to the council and hopefully the public on his findings and to be available to answer questions that will inevitably arise.
Why the delay? The Vanguard unfortunately was unable to connect with City Manager Bill Emlen last week. However, one suggestion that has surfaced is that they simply have not figured out how to handle the report given the sensitive nature of it.
More alarming is the apparent factor that the city council members have not been allowed to view it yet. Thus the elected officials of Davis have yet to make any sort of assessment of the severity of the report.
In part, we can sympathize with the city manager’s dilemma. After all it is a tricky situation given the fact that people have come forward as whistle blowers and these people are in need of protection from potential retaliation.
On the other hand, the delay at this point is largely inexcusable. City Manager Bill Emlen was not suddenly dumped this report in early November, he had almost four months prior to work out the end game here–the end game being how to take a raw report and turn it into something the city council and the public could get in an expeditious fashion.
The longer this process continues, the more speculation will build and the messier this situation will become.
At this point, we have to believe that the news cannot be good for the department. If this were a mere exoneration, the city clearly would have released this report already.
We are left to speculate that perhaps the city is trying to bury results in the doldrums of the holiday season. A December 16, 2008 release might suggest that the city is hoping that people will see it and forget about it over the Christmas and Holiday season. On the other hand, it is perhaps more likely that this is just being mishandled. The resolution to this situation is likely not going to occur at a single city council meeting and therefore the situation will drag out beyond the holiday season anyway.
At this point, I want to pose two ideas for the public to think about.
Bob Aaronson’s report in Santa Cruz criticized the police for spying on protestors and they also criticized the police department for a conflict of interest relating to the fact that the very official who ordered the spying, was the one who conducted the initial report. The decision in Santa Cruz was made early on based on that the report would be a public report, available for anyone. If you google it, you can find the report even now on the web. Why was this important? It insured transparency in the process. The public knew the outcome of the investigation and could draw their own conclusion.
This decision was made in advance. What appears to be happening in Davis right now, is that no decision was made prior to Mr. Aaronson completing his report. Now the city is bogged down in figuring out what to do about it.
What should have happened? Bill Emlen assigned this to Bob Aaronson in mid-July. When he did, he should have directed City Attorney Harriet Steiner to evaluate the legality of a variety of options given a number of different contingencies ranging from full-vindication of those mentioned in the grand jury report to full-validation of the report. In advance, the city should have made the determination of how to release the information whether it be the full-report, a summary, a redacted report. They should have already known when and how the city council would get to view the info. They should have already known when and how the public would learn about the results of the information.
From all indications, this has not happened. At this point in time, not only is the public in the dark about the fate of this report, but so is the city council. There appears to me to be no excuse for this.
The public deserves to know the outcome of this investigation, and so does the city council.
—David M. Greenwald reporting
” The longer this process continues, the more speculation will build and the messier this situation will become.”
With people like you and free ink , yes the situation will escalate only because of you stirring the POT.
Let the elected people , who make the decisions do there job .
Your credibility is as strong as the little boy , who has cried WOLF three times already !
” The longer this process continues, the more speculation will build and the messier this situation will become.”
With people like you and free ink , yes the situation will escalate only because of you stirring the POT.
Let the elected people , who make the decisions do there job .
Your credibility is as strong as the little boy , who has cried WOLF three times already !
” The longer this process continues, the more speculation will build and the messier this situation will become.”
With people like you and free ink , yes the situation will escalate only because of you stirring the POT.
Let the elected people , who make the decisions do there job .
Your credibility is as strong as the little boy , who has cried WOLF three times already !
” The longer this process continues, the more speculation will build and the messier this situation will become.”
With people like you and free ink , yes the situation will escalate only because of you stirring the POT.
Let the elected people , who make the decisions do there job .
Your credibility is as strong as the little boy , who has cried WOLF three times already !
This is an issue that interests me as a taxpayer, a Davis resident/homeowner, and a voter.
I haven’t seen any mention of this issue in the Enterprise recently, therefore I appreciate the update that Greenwald has given, in spite of Anon. 7:38’s suggestion that this shouldn’t be discussed now.
Everyday I read in the paper about layoffs and current and looming budget cuts. I have to make personal financial sacrifices in these times, but I don’t get any break on city taxes. I really want to know that tax-paid employees are behaving responsibly. Shouldn’t I have the right to know that?
This is an issue that interests me as a taxpayer, a Davis resident/homeowner, and a voter.
I haven’t seen any mention of this issue in the Enterprise recently, therefore I appreciate the update that Greenwald has given, in spite of Anon. 7:38’s suggestion that this shouldn’t be discussed now.
Everyday I read in the paper about layoffs and current and looming budget cuts. I have to make personal financial sacrifices in these times, but I don’t get any break on city taxes. I really want to know that tax-paid employees are behaving responsibly. Shouldn’t I have the right to know that?
This is an issue that interests me as a taxpayer, a Davis resident/homeowner, and a voter.
I haven’t seen any mention of this issue in the Enterprise recently, therefore I appreciate the update that Greenwald has given, in spite of Anon. 7:38’s suggestion that this shouldn’t be discussed now.
Everyday I read in the paper about layoffs and current and looming budget cuts. I have to make personal financial sacrifices in these times, but I don’t get any break on city taxes. I really want to know that tax-paid employees are behaving responsibly. Shouldn’t I have the right to know that?
This is an issue that interests me as a taxpayer, a Davis resident/homeowner, and a voter.
I haven’t seen any mention of this issue in the Enterprise recently, therefore I appreciate the update that Greenwald has given, in spite of Anon. 7:38’s suggestion that this shouldn’t be discussed now.
Everyday I read in the paper about layoffs and current and looming budget cuts. I have to make personal financial sacrifices in these times, but I don’t get any break on city taxes. I really want to know that tax-paid employees are behaving responsibly. Shouldn’t I have the right to know that?
I agree with you with you Chuck. Anonymous 7:38 am could be an impacted employee from the fire department for all we know. Who knows?
I am a tax payer and like you I also want to know that tax-paid employees are behaving responsibly. This should not be swept under the rug like so many things are in our city and by the Enterprise.
I hope that Bill Emlen does the right thing.
Those of us who like to know what is going on in our city appreciate you covering this story David.
I agree with you with you Chuck. Anonymous 7:38 am could be an impacted employee from the fire department for all we know. Who knows?
I am a tax payer and like you I also want to know that tax-paid employees are behaving responsibly. This should not be swept under the rug like so many things are in our city and by the Enterprise.
I hope that Bill Emlen does the right thing.
Those of us who like to know what is going on in our city appreciate you covering this story David.
I agree with you with you Chuck. Anonymous 7:38 am could be an impacted employee from the fire department for all we know. Who knows?
I am a tax payer and like you I also want to know that tax-paid employees are behaving responsibly. This should not be swept under the rug like so many things are in our city and by the Enterprise.
I hope that Bill Emlen does the right thing.
Those of us who like to know what is going on in our city appreciate you covering this story David.
I agree with you with you Chuck. Anonymous 7:38 am could be an impacted employee from the fire department for all we know. Who knows?
I am a tax payer and like you I also want to know that tax-paid employees are behaving responsibly. This should not be swept under the rug like so many things are in our city and by the Enterprise.
I hope that Bill Emlen does the right thing.
Those of us who like to know what is going on in our city appreciate you covering this story David.
Anonymous 7:38 clearly despises ‘boat rockers’. Yes, we the people elect people to make decisions for us, but it is our decision to re-elect them or not depending on whether or not we agree with their decisions most of the time.
Davis has a long history of sweeping unpleasantness under the rug. This does not make problems go away, it makes them worse.
DPD is not the boy who cried wolf, without his constant vigilance, I believe the bureaucrats would bury much more than they have done. just because he does not “win” every fight, does not make him wrong to question where our tax dollars are going.
Transparency is critical for democracy to function. I worked for Yolo County and the State of California for many years. I NEVER forgot that I was accountable to the tax payers for how their money was spent. I wasn’t always popular because this meant that sometimes I ‘rocked the boat’, but at least my conscience is clear.
Anonymous 7:38 clearly despises ‘boat rockers’. Yes, we the people elect people to make decisions for us, but it is our decision to re-elect them or not depending on whether or not we agree with their decisions most of the time.
Davis has a long history of sweeping unpleasantness under the rug. This does not make problems go away, it makes them worse.
DPD is not the boy who cried wolf, without his constant vigilance, I believe the bureaucrats would bury much more than they have done. just because he does not “win” every fight, does not make him wrong to question where our tax dollars are going.
Transparency is critical for democracy to function. I worked for Yolo County and the State of California for many years. I NEVER forgot that I was accountable to the tax payers for how their money was spent. I wasn’t always popular because this meant that sometimes I ‘rocked the boat’, but at least my conscience is clear.
Anonymous 7:38 clearly despises ‘boat rockers’. Yes, we the people elect people to make decisions for us, but it is our decision to re-elect them or not depending on whether or not we agree with their decisions most of the time.
Davis has a long history of sweeping unpleasantness under the rug. This does not make problems go away, it makes them worse.
DPD is not the boy who cried wolf, without his constant vigilance, I believe the bureaucrats would bury much more than they have done. just because he does not “win” every fight, does not make him wrong to question where our tax dollars are going.
Transparency is critical for democracy to function. I worked for Yolo County and the State of California for many years. I NEVER forgot that I was accountable to the tax payers for how their money was spent. I wasn’t always popular because this meant that sometimes I ‘rocked the boat’, but at least my conscience is clear.
Anonymous 7:38 clearly despises ‘boat rockers’. Yes, we the people elect people to make decisions for us, but it is our decision to re-elect them or not depending on whether or not we agree with their decisions most of the time.
Davis has a long history of sweeping unpleasantness under the rug. This does not make problems go away, it makes them worse.
DPD is not the boy who cried wolf, without his constant vigilance, I believe the bureaucrats would bury much more than they have done. just because he does not “win” every fight, does not make him wrong to question where our tax dollars are going.
Transparency is critical for democracy to function. I worked for Yolo County and the State of California for many years. I NEVER forgot that I was accountable to the tax payers for how their money was spent. I wasn’t always popular because this meant that sometimes I ‘rocked the boat’, but at least my conscience is clear.
It appears that Bob Aaronson will not even be in town to report to the council and hopefully the public on his findings and to be available to answer questions that will inevitably arise.”
Is that the reason for the delay, David? I haven’t spoken with Bill Emlen about this situation, but it makes sense to me that, if Mr. Aaronson is presently unavailable, the City Manager might be putting off the presentation of the report until Aaronson can appear and answer questions.
“If this were a mere exoneration, the city clearly would have released this report already.”
That makes sense. On the other hand, if it is an exoneration and the public or members of the council deems the conclusions unjustified, then it would help to have Mr. Aaronson on hand to explain why he reached the answers he did…. Of course, that still doesn’t explain why the report is not yet on the city’s website.
It appears that Bob Aaronson will not even be in town to report to the council and hopefully the public on his findings and to be available to answer questions that will inevitably arise.”
Is that the reason for the delay, David? I haven’t spoken with Bill Emlen about this situation, but it makes sense to me that, if Mr. Aaronson is presently unavailable, the City Manager might be putting off the presentation of the report until Aaronson can appear and answer questions.
“If this were a mere exoneration, the city clearly would have released this report already.”
That makes sense. On the other hand, if it is an exoneration and the public or members of the council deems the conclusions unjustified, then it would help to have Mr. Aaronson on hand to explain why he reached the answers he did…. Of course, that still doesn’t explain why the report is not yet on the city’s website.
It appears that Bob Aaronson will not even be in town to report to the council and hopefully the public on his findings and to be available to answer questions that will inevitably arise.”
Is that the reason for the delay, David? I haven’t spoken with Bill Emlen about this situation, but it makes sense to me that, if Mr. Aaronson is presently unavailable, the City Manager might be putting off the presentation of the report until Aaronson can appear and answer questions.
“If this were a mere exoneration, the city clearly would have released this report already.”
That makes sense. On the other hand, if it is an exoneration and the public or members of the council deems the conclusions unjustified, then it would help to have Mr. Aaronson on hand to explain why he reached the answers he did…. Of course, that still doesn’t explain why the report is not yet on the city’s website.
It appears that Bob Aaronson will not even be in town to report to the council and hopefully the public on his findings and to be available to answer questions that will inevitably arise.”
Is that the reason for the delay, David? I haven’t spoken with Bill Emlen about this situation, but it makes sense to me that, if Mr. Aaronson is presently unavailable, the City Manager might be putting off the presentation of the report until Aaronson can appear and answer questions.
“If this were a mere exoneration, the city clearly would have released this report already.”
That makes sense. On the other hand, if it is an exoneration and the public or members of the council deems the conclusions unjustified, then it would help to have Mr. Aaronson on hand to explain why he reached the answers he did…. Of course, that still doesn’t explain why the report is not yet on the city’s website.