By Robert Haugh
Last month, the Santa Clara Civil Grand Jury slammed the 49er Five for “abusive and belittling behavior” in a scathing report called “Irreconcilable Differences.”
The report was extremely critical of the Council majority’s behavior and also raised concerns about public trust and ethics.
At the next Santa Clara City Council meeting on Tuesday, July 9, the report will be agendized for public discussion.
Mayor Lisa Gillmor and Councilmember Kathy Watanabe brought the proposal to discuss the report to last Tuesday’s Council meeting.
Gillmor called it the “most important” agenda item for next month. “The report raises serious questions about the Council’s conduct,” Gillmor stated. “We need to address these concerns head-on to rebuild public trust.”
The Grand Jury has given individual Councilmembers until September 12th to respond to the report’s findings and recommendations officially.
These recommendations can be accepted, rejected, or require further analysis before a decision is made.
The entire Council also has the option to agree or disagree with the report’s findings and provide explanations.
“All of us have a lot to say” on the matter,” indicted Vice Mayor Anthony Becker said.
Becker may be signaling how he and his colleagues will respond to the report in a few weeks.
Two years ago, the Grand Jury issued a report that concluded the 49er Five act in the best interest of the team and not the City,
Becker and his colleagues were extremely negative in their public response to the 2022 report.
The Council majority approved an official City response to the Grand Jury that refuted all of the report’s findings. Yup, all of them.
Becker was indicted for leaking the 2022 report and lying about it. His felony perjury trial begins on July 29, 2024, after multiple delays.
I think lowly of some of the conduct of the members of the council majority and also some conduct of both the mayor and Watanabe.
It does not help to distort the truth to make a political point. Kevin Park did not call Deanna Santana a dog. He used an analogy that made it seem that he was and it was a very bad choice of analogy and he apologized and stated this.
In a similar way Burt Field did not talk about shooting Becker or other councilpeople when he used the bad analogy of taking aim and firing a gun when discussing targeting councilpeople for recall.
“I think partial is very unfair, because there are things we have to say,” Trump said.
Gad, the Trump trial constantly reminds me of Becker and the 49er 5. Becker said everyone has a lot to say about the CGJ report.
No one wants to be held accountable for their deeds. It’s always someone else’s fault.
Wow.
I am going to make an assumption here.
Most of the people who read and follow this blog are intelligent people.
What do you think of:
A) a council member who uses children’s books to embarrass council watchers.
B) two council members who text each other about coffee cups and women’s clothes.
C) a vice mayor indicted for perjury
D) a council member who directed two LOSING CHARTER elections
E) a council member who denies an outstanding coach another term on a parks and rec commission
F) two council members who photograph mailmen
G) a council member who calls women dogs
H) a council member who participated in 67 secret meetings and writes emails to retired teachers accusing them of never working