By Donna Westfall – September 8, 2016 -[cincopa A8JA2sdLNw6w] Whoa!  What’s happening at City Hall?

At Tuesday night’s Council meeting, September 6, 2016, the City Council voted 5-0 to refund Dennis Sutton over $14,000.

This is amazing.  I called Dennis Sutton and asked what happened.

Dennis said, “I’ve been paying sewer on a property that has no structure.  I’ve been fighting with City Hall for 14 years.  (Refunding my money) …. the City is doing the right thing.”

The City doing the right thing?

Is this an omen of our city actually walking as they talk?

Transparency…. actually letting the public know what is going on?

Excellence in service … actually following through with doing the right thing?

Let’s acknowledge when there is a shift for the better at City Hall. After letting them bask in the knowledge that they are seemingly on the right track, it’s time to get back in the trenches and correct another wrong, and another wrong and another wrong.

For example.  During my 3 minute public comment I brought up the subject of fines by the State when the Wastewater Treatment Plant is out of compliance on effluent going into the ocean.  That’s $3,000 per violation. Just so you understand we’re not just whistling Dixie here.

And I also brought up the verbiage used in the City’s rebuttal to Measure Q stating that I was censured for slandering my fellow council members (back in 2009.)  THIS IS NOT CORRECT. And, I really hate it when my city rewrites history which they have a reputation for doing so well. In addition, they destroyed the video tapes of those meetings. That means we have to go to the minutes  and fortunately, former City Clerk, Dianne Nickerson, took pretty good minutes. Compared to the minutes submitted and approved these days, which leaves a lot to be desired.

So, I corrected them and reminded them that I was censured for asking questions such as the ones you can you view in the attached video having to do with the firing for insubordination of an employee who’s name was signed to the monthly reports submitted to the State.  Based on reliable sources, he was told to manipulate the controls in order to get the numbers into compliance.  A clear violation which would have resulted in fines and for knowingly submitting incorrect numbers could result in his imprisonment.

I’ve asked them to investigate which is something they wouldn’t do back in 2009.  In their rush to shut me up back then, they now have to deal with the consequences because some things just do not go away.

Persistence is a blessing and a curse.  All it takes is one drop of water after another to wear down a rock.  Persistence is my middle name.

Will persistence prevail?  Will the City continue to do the right thing? Will they investigate or will they cover it up?  How many different spins can they put on an issue?

Time will tell.