After being dominated for decades by a ruling majority of conservative Council members, voters in Cypress have elected a new slate of voices who have already demonstrated their willingness to make change.
The new majority has already begun to make their voices heard, as the City Council on Monday changed the Council’s official meeting date and broke long-standing protocol with regards to Council appointments.
The Council voted in December to elect Mayor Pro-tem Leo Medrano as Mayor and voted for Kyle Chang as Mayor Pro-tem.
At Monday’s meeting, Council member Bonnie Peat used her voice to object to changing the Council’s meeting date from Monday to Tuesday, and she argued to no avail that it was against policy for former Mayor David Burke to retain top committee assignments, including the voting delegate at the California League of Cities Convention, even though he is no longer the Mayor.
“I believe that the mayor should represent us in that,” said Peat after Mayor Medrano revealed his list of Council member appointments to various outside Boards and Commissions.
“Mr. Burke can continue being on there if needed (as an alternate), but the primary person is the mayor of our city, who should represent us at these particular events.
Courtesy photo
Peat said she believed city guidelines dictate as such, though she could not cite specifics.
“I guess, personally, this just feels to me like you’re trying to take me off of committees,” said Burke. “The committees that you mentioned don’t request the mayor serve in that role,” he said, referring to the mayor serving as the voting delegate at the California League of Cities Convention.
Burke repeatedly offered to take himself off of that assignment if that was the Mayor’s request.
“Mayor Medrano, if you would like to serve on those committees instead of me, feel free to make a motion to do so. Failing that, I will make a motion to approve the committee assignments as recommended,” said Burke.
Medrano said he had no problem with Burke serving and was happy with his assisgnments.
Peat, however, made a motion to compel Medrano, as the City’s Mayor, to serve as the voting delegate at the California League of Cities; however, the motion died for the lack of a 2nd.
While the city assigns members to various county boards and commissions, Chang said the big three, the OC Fire Authority, Mosquito and Vector Control and OC Sanitation, are generally reserved for people seeking higher office. All three compensate members for meetings.
“They’re seen as a steppingstone to either higher office or greater political desires,” said Chang, “but I was really surprised to see Mayor Medrano not listed in any of these three and he didn’t list himself, as mentioned, to the League of Cities,” he said.
“The way I saw this is more of a commitment to service instead of a desire for prestige or higher office,” said Chang.
Of the big three, Medrano split them between Burke, Chang and Peat.
The board approved the appointments, as proposed by Medrano, on a vote of 4-1, with Peat against.
Peat and Burke also clashed over changing the meeting date of the Council to Tuesdays, even though Peat has expressed a concern about being able to attend on Tuesdays and an admission earlier that long time city attorney representative Fred Galante has other commitments and cannot participate on Tuesdays.
“Tuesday is not a good day for me,” said Peat, “so I apologize in advance for those that I represent that I may or may not be able to be here at certain times. I will make every effort so I can attend as many meetings as I can,” she said.
“Shifting the meeting date from Monday to Tuesday should have a number of benefits,” said Burke. “It reduces the number of times meetings conflict with federal, state or school holidays. It gives residents, staff and council members one business day to review the agenda and prepare, and it makes it easier for residents to follow issues.”
“I’m not aware of any unbreakable commitment that would prevent any Council member from attending meetings on Tuesdays,” he added.
“I respect that, Mr. Burke, you have no idea what my schedule looks like during the week, so you are really unable to speak on my behalf about what happens on Tuesdays,” Peat retorted.
During oral communication, one resident, Marilyn Reames, passionately asked the Council not to change the meeting date.
“I implore you to reverse the decision that you have made about changing the Council date from Monday to Tuesday. It seems to be utterly retaliatory and without merit,” she said. “We are living in a day and time when the national dialogue is comprised of retribution and pay back. It is unbecoming and exhausting.”
Former Mayor and Council member Anne Hertz Mallari also spoke against the change. “I caution you against making this change. It is completely unnecessary,” she said, suggesting that it was being done “for political purposes.”
The Council voted 4-1 to change the meeting date, with Peat being the lone dissenting vote.
In a foreshadowing of a hot topic for next week’s meeting, Council member Rachel Strong asked to bring up a matter that would “protect community safety and civil rights with relation to ICE enforcement.”
“I think what I’m asking for,” she said, “if it could be considered at a future meeting, is a council resolution to affirm the protection of our constituents’ civil rights and to condemn the use of excessive force by federal and immigration authorities, if that’s possible.”
“It is our responsibility as a City Council to ensure that everyone in our community can safely attend school, go to work, worship, seek medical care and participate in civic life without fear of violence or abuse.”
“Residents across the country are reporting aggressive and militarized ICE enforcement, including a recent fatality. They are seeing use of force disproportionate to threats, lack of clear identification, detentions without judicial warrants, and operations that create widespread fear beyond the individuals targeted in this climate of fear,” said Strong/Carnahan.
“While we as a city cannot control federal agencies, we can control our policies, resources, and values,” she said.
Chang seconded Strong/Carnahan’s request to place the item on the next agenda.
“I’ll support council member Rachel Strong’s suggestions, and I am actually in favor of us discussing this at a council meeting,” the Mayor Pro-tem said. “I feel like this is an immediate threat to public safety for a lot of our residents,” he said.
Further, he said the issue should be discussed at a public meeting and not wait for a strategic planning session.