I report, you decide. by BARRY LEVINSON
Barry Levinson
I report, you decide. By Barry Levinson.
It seems that Mayor Chaffee has a hard time doing anything right lately.
We had a somewhat heated by respectful discussion about an agenda item to approve a declaration passed by the US Congress about 7 years ago concerning the human rights violations by the Japanese Imperial Army during WWII as it related to the 200,000 Korean “Comfort Women” forced into sexual slavery.
Mayor Chaffee gave almost all of the speakers many of whom were either of Korean or Japanese heritages more than the normal 3 minutes to speak before them. It seemed that many of them went over their three minutes by 2, 3 or more minutes easily.
I personally thought it was perfectly okay to give these speakers this additional time. It was obviously a very personal and difficult subject to talk about and each and every speaker presented their opinions with much grace and dignity.
But then came the public comments for all those items not on the agenda. It should have been one of the first pieces of business but Mayor Chaffee moved the WWII issue in front of regular public comments.
As is frequently the case, significant portions of the public comments are critical of one or more members of the council. In this case, no additional time was granted to any of the speakers. Once again, Mayor Chaffee even when he is going to face the voters in November apparently can’t bring himself to conduct the meeting in a fair manner for everyone.
At one point, a speaker asked Mayor Chaffee if he has paid for all the volunteer signs that he gives out to those he believes are worthy of that honor. His answer to the speaker was that it was “none of his business”.
Councilperson Chaffee
Once again, Mayor Chaffee you find yourself on the wrong side sir. For it was you early on in this program who declared that you were paying for these signs and it would not cost the taxpayer’s a dime.
The ball started rolling on 7-24-14
Doug paid up 5 days after being called out- stringing the taxpayers along for a year and a half. I wonder if he would have ever paid it back if he was not asked to?
Now less than a year later you are telling us it is none of our business. It is no wonder that recently our fair city of Fullerton was ranked as one of the snobbiest cities throughout the country. I am now wondering how much Mayor Chaffee had to do with that dubious ranking.
I guess he only paid up because the heat was on? Since December of 2012 no payments reimbursing the taxpayers through July of 2014? What else does he have going on at city hall?
#1 by The Informer on September 20, 2014 - 9:19 pm
Really, Barry? Anyone who has watched you at council meetings would easily see that you are rude and obnoxious during the public comment sections. Shame on you for making such a stink about volunteer of the month signs. Perhaps in your analysis you should include the amount of money these volunteers HAVE GIVEN BACK TO THE CITY (in the form of time and dedication).
I am sure you would find they have given back many times over what the city has paid to give these people some recognition for all of their selfless work over the years. Also, you might also include how much time you, yourself, have volunteered in the city.
#2 by Anonymous on September 21, 2014 - 8:34 am
And shame on Sean Paden who made the records request for the payment information on the signs. I don’t hear Sean at the meetings thanking the volunteers for their time and efforts. He is just up there making an issue out of something that he thinks will stir up controversy because he is running for council. These people can’t see the forest for the trees.
#3 by Anonymous on September 21, 2014 - 4:34 am
Larry Bennett is the wise choice for Fullerton.