Mayor Responds to ACLU Letter Regarding Vallejo City Council Rules
“Free Speech for the Dumb” by Walt Jabsco is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
Vallejo Mayor Robert McConnell cc’d me on an email in response to concerns raised by the ACLU about “new” council protocols. The protocols allow any council member to call for “order” if they feel that someone is being personally attacked or is stating something false. The letter can be seen here (thank you, Open Vallejo).
Angélica Salceda from the ACLU Foundation of Northern California reached out to council members to see if they had any questions about the letter. Here is the mayor’s response:
I’m always appreciative of receiving verifiable accurate information. Having clerked for the 9th circuit I know the high esteem in which the judges there held the importance of the first amendment.
I don’t know if it is zoom or simply the times but commentators, while not approaching disruption (of a zoom meeting?) are definitely more blunt than have been the past practices. Many city employees do feel as if they are being brow beaten and as a result questioning why they should be exposed to such anger and condemnation. Some are actually afraid. It does have an impact on recruitment and retention.
Electeds of course just know it is part of the landscape. But the harshness of many a spoken word is decidedly having an impact on what city some employees are willing to work. Unfortunately, it is the marginalized ones like Vallejo, not the affluent ones like Ross, Atherton, or even Walnut Creek, that are experiencing talent loss.
Any clarity or suggestions on how to keep the meeting somewhat civil while not stopping speakers would be truly valued.
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COMMENTS
Resident Diana Lang:
Well gee, what comes first, the chicken or the egg? Perhaps flipping the narrative would be helpful: why are the taxpayers more adamant or blunt? The answer is, city staff and leadership are not listening to the taxpayers but studiously avoiding them.
September 15, 2021 @ 10:35 am
I’d love for Mayor Bob to show us the job postings he’s having trouble filling… Last I checked the criticism wasn’t slander, because it was true.
September 15, 2021 @ 10:37 am
While I trust the legal and life-long wisdom of our God-sent mayor Robert McConnell, I do NOT at all appreciate NOT RAISING the standards of performance of our city hall employees = PUBLIC SERVANTS !!
For me, when in most private sectors, would have fired many of the current and past city hall employees for often ignoring public outcry on major policies or implementation, boards and commissions recommendation because they are appointed by the city council, etc.
When the PUBLIC are sacrificed, thrown under the bus more casually at the expense of some blatant mistakes or wrongdoings of city employees — be it an attorney or a manager — it sends the WRONG message to the public !
This is the battle that I’ve seen for more than 12 years since my living in Vallejo from 2003 and appears to get more manipulated against the public and for the old boyz network inside cityhall.
On my behalf and many other conscientious activists who all care for our city and its reputation, how things work, and to root out wasteful actions at the cost of the tax payers … I strongly and respectfully ask all city council members to NEVER underestimate and ignore the public podium.
We can drastically drum up exponential support in the social and public media and hold you accountable and FIRE the bad apples one way or another. Nyhoff, Sampayan, Ann does NOT deserve to be defended as public servants at the coswt of the decent, honest people who brought facts, data, behavior and wrong doing to light !!! Namaste.
September 15, 2021 @ 10:45 am
While I trust the legal and life-long wisdom of our God-sent mayor Robert McConnell, I do NOT at all appreciate NOT RAISING the standards of performance of our city hall employees = PUBLIC SERVANTS !!
For me, when in most private sectors, would have fired many of the current and past city hall employees for often ignoring public outcry on major policies or implementation, boards and commissions recommendation because they are appointed by the city council, etc.
When the PUBLIC are sacrificed, thrown under the bus more casually at the expense of some blatant mistakes or wrongdoings of city employees — be it an attorney or a manager — it sends the WRONG message to the public !
This is the battle that I’ve seen for more than 12 years since my living in Vallejo from 2003 and appears to get more manipulated against the public and for the old boyz network inside cityhall.
On my behalf and many other conscientious activists who all care for our city and its reputation, how things work, and to root out wasteful actions at the cost of the tax payers … I strongly and respectfully ask all city council members to NEVER underestimate and ignore the public podium.
We can drastically drum up exponential support in the social and public media and hold you accountable and FIRE the bad apples one way or another. Nyhoff, Sampayan, Ann does NOT deserve to be defended as public servants at the coswt of the decent, honest people who brought facts, data, behavior and wrong doing to light !!! Namaste.