By Rachel Towe – August 16, 2010
It has become a habit, with Councilman Charles Slert to badmouth Councilwoman Donna Westfall at the end of council meetings; at council comment time. Reason could be that no one has a chance to rebutt his comments. He can go on and on and on and on and on and on and on…. and on. Under these conditions one could expect an occassional outburst from the audience, as with the case Monday night, August 16th. Jesse Salisbury called out ,”Diatribe.” Timothy Abbey called out, “You’re not speaking for the people.”
Mayor Schellong instructed Police Chief Doug Plack to escort those unruly members of the audience out if they didn’t quiet down.
Most people don’t know that there were close to 500 signatures each to recall Councilwoman Kathryn Murray and Councilman Charles Slert. Half were considered, “Non-Sufficient,” by County Clerk, Alissia Northrup, including my husband’s signature. We have lived and voted here for 46 years. When we challenged Mrs. Northrup, she would not change her mind.
The recall against Westfall was a “Get Even Tactic” that didn’t fly. With maybe 200 signatures, they were about 228 short of even turning in their petitions. Not hard to figure out who is in highest regard. But in case you’re wondering, it’s Westfall. Now, they keep yammering about Westfall costing the city money when she’s trying to do her job and look out for us folks. Doesn’t a recall on Westfall also cost the city money? And what about Richard Miles. He gets up there like a Jack-in-the-Box 3 minutes, 4 minutes, 5 minutes every meeting, on almost every topic. That adds about 30 minutes minimum to each meeting. Wonder when they’re going to present him with a bill? Or take away his right to go to meetings so they can, “Do the City’s business” unhampered.
Charles Slert seems confident that the people would not vote to roll the sewer rates back. If he and his fellow 3 council members are so confident the people wouldn’t vote to roll back sewer rates why did the four of them vote to sue Westfall? It makes one wonder why this council spent so much money to keep the initiative off the ballot, if that’s how they think. Slert blames Westfall for all the money that went into the pocket of the city’s attorney……I think some attorney’s milk the system. Westfall’s Attorney, Tim Bittle from Howard Jarvis Taxpayer’s Association cost the tax payers nothing.
To keep the initiative from going on the ballot violates the people’s constitutional right to vote. And California Elections Code Section 18620(d).
When one runs for public office and the people vote them in, they should set a higher standard. The public expects it. At the town hall meeting on May 10th, at the Fire Hall on Washington Blvd., Mayor Kelly Schellong bragged to the crowd about the lawsuit the city had against myself and Ms. Westfall calling our names out in order to humiliate us. The city sued us for exercising our constitutional rights by getting signatures to roll the sewer rates back and wanting it to go to a vote. The Mayor not only looks like a little girl, she acts like one. It is not hard to understand why the city is spending so much of our money on attorney fees.
The incumbent, Kelly Schellong, running for City Council has been there and done that, nothing has changed except spending, which has gone up.
James Barrett is running for City Council. We do need a change, hopefully, we will see an end to the eye rolling and body language which we all have been subjected to with the current squabbling council.
You all need to get your priorities straight. We, the rate payers may pay, but “YOU MAY NOT STAY!”
Rachel Tietz Towe
