By Robert Haugh
At last night’s City Council meeting, Santa Clara City Councilman Kevin Park was forced to apologize for comparing former City Manager Deanna Santana to a “dog.”
Earlier in the day, a group of six local organizations led by the Latina Coalition of Silicon Valley held a press conference at City Hall to condemn Park.
Some called for him to apologize. Others said that he should be censured.
Last night, during public comment one resident, “Carol” wrote in to complain that Park’s treatment of Santana reminded her of the multiple domestic violence calls to his home.
Park said he wanted to address the groups and Carol. He then read a written statement.
“I am sorry and embarrassed for the statements that I made to local media regarding the situation around our city management,’’ said Park.
“I fully accept faults for my poorly thought out analogy. My comment was thoughtless and I regret making the statement.”
Park said that he would publish his full apology on his website and the City’s website if possible.
Mayor Lisa Gillmor asked Park if he had contacted Santana to apologize. Park said no.
“I personally am completely offended by what you said,” said Gillmor. “And your comments were not the first time you made these types of comments. And they probably won’t be the last time you make these types of comments about women. I think it’s reprehensible what you have said.”
Councilwoman Kathy Watanabe was also unimpressed by Park’s statement.
Watanabe made a motion to place on a future Council agenda an item to discuss taking action against Park.
She said it was “based on the statements heard at the press conference today and a call to demand a public apology and censure.”
The vote failed 2-2 with three abstentions.
Gillmor and Watanabe voted yes. Councilmembers Suds Jain and Karen Hardy voted no. Councilmembers Antony Becker, Raj Chahal and Park abstained.
With Park’s history, this is likely to be a developing story.
[…] Over three weeks ago at a Santa Clara City Council meeting, Councilman Kevin Park was forced to apologize for comparing former City Manager Deanna Santana to a “dog.” […]
Didn’t Murky News endorse Kevin Park? Might want to rethink that one, huh, Ed Clendaniel?
In person City Council Meetings need to resume now that Covid mandates have been lifted. These council members should not hide behind their computers anymore.
The 49er 5, in essence, condoned Park’s bullying and misogynistic behavior of referring to our Latina and female City Manager, as a “dog” that needs discipline. Some might even say that was a euphemism for a b****. Well, at least 2 of the councilmembers were willing to go on record and publicly voted “no” to censure Park. Those councilmembers who “abstained”, instead relying on others to vote no for them, showed a lack of fortitude and strength, imo. Sidenote, I have noticed that one of our councilmembers is continuously rolling his eyes, shaking his head no in a mocking way, and smirking, when another councilmember or our Mayor are speaking. So tacky and immature. Lastly, our society has largely opened up post Covid. WHY is our city council still doing “virtual” meetings?? There is a complete lack of public input on issues such as doing away with the elected police chief and getting rid of our city attorney and manager that this council has taken on unilaterally with little public input and lack of true public notice. The meetings need to be opened to encourage interaction between the citizens and hold council members feet to the fire and experience the will and passion of the citizens. Get rid of the Zoom council meetings.
Karen Hardy forget she’s a woman?
She goes with the boys and doesn’t
defend a woman of color?
what about my other regional
Leaders? Susan Ellenberg?
You okay on this verbal attack
of a woman of color?
Alex Lee? His seat is
moving so he doesn’t have a
voice in Santa Clara now?
2022 election season is
just around corner.
It was such a weak poorly thought out apology. He did not even directly address Ms. Santana and address how his comments were offensive. We need to get rid of him, we cannot have creeps like him on our council representing our city. Embarrassing.
Oh! I WoNdEr why Jain and Hardy are siding with Park? Probably because the 49ers and York can smell dogs from a mile away and pay them to bark out what they want and **** over the entire City of Santa Clara and their residents.
Park also makes inappropriate comments about female workers and “panties” so I am waiting for the WHOLE (sexual) harassment story to unfold. Park won’t change. You’ll see more Incidences of DV and sexual harassment come to light. He also gets off from intimidating other staff members at City Hall. Bring the popcorn, y’all.
Think November,
Santa Clara residents will need to turn off their tv’s, radios, glue tight their mail boxes and when they go on the internet they will learn who NOT to vote for.
It will be ugly as ugly can be. The amount of money Sugar Daddy will need to put behind this election will be closer to the cost of a starter home in his neighborhood of Los Altos Hills, or possibly Portola Valley.
Cheap by any standards.
Tip to Sugar Daddy… you need to vet your candidates just a bit better.
0 for whatever is still 0 for whatever.
Back up Dog Catcher was out of reach for anyone in this group.
Wait!!! I think that’s a job that Kevin Park would be perfect for.
District 4 would be honored to have Kevin Park be our Backup Dog Catcher.
Burt Field
Can you say double standard? And Park is protected by Jed York. Shame!
Empty as usual. No personal apology as far as I see: “I am sorry and embarrassed for the statements that I made to local media regarding the situation around our city management,’’
Can’t bring himself to apologize to Santana, even indirectly. ‘city management’ is not the person he insulted.