DELIVERED AT CITY COUNCIL MEETING, COUNCIL CHAMBERS, CHULA VISTA, CA January 24, 2023
Honorable Mayor and Councilmembers:
I am grateful for your time, and your consideration. The charges of your roles are difficult, and often regretfully unapologetic. On behalf of District 3’s citizenry, we are grateful for your effort to hear us. However, I am here to offer two useful observations in continuing my service to District 3 and Chula Vista.
First, consider that my District is entirely dissatisfied with an appointment process, especially since the prior two city council appointments were calamitous, if not politically deleterious for the appointers. Second, citizens’ comments during the prior meeting are truly worthy of our reflection.
I am here solely to represent my District. Our public has cried for a particular appointment. Because recent evidence suggests that applicants haven’t been truthful, and our elected officials have not promoted finalist candidate selection based on a viable meritocracy, how will we proceed? For instance, residents of District 3 believe that the chosen finalist was, indeed, pre-selected, which points to political gamification. This Council has failed to deliver transparency regarding a selection methodology, rendering this process shameful. As a scholar, I found the City Council’s appointment recruitment transparency with my District to be sufficiently foggy, at best. In other words, a Item 7.2 - Written Communications
Korgan - Received 1/24/2023
DELIVERED AT CITY COUNCIL MEETING, COUNCIL CHAMBERS, CHULA VISTA, CA qualitative analysis of our finalists’ applications fails to reveal any identifying skills, traits, characteristics, or core competencies that remotely help District 3 understand what you seek. Your process fails to help District 3 assurances that the Council knows who we are.
Second, citizens’ comments during the prior meeting, namely on issues of social justice, are worthy of our reflection. Recall that the concept was weaponized to promote a particular candidate. Social justice, which aims to frame discourse from a place of inclusivity and equality of opportunity, is not a tool for self- promotion and bias. For instance, statistical information was misrepresented during public comment without consideration of disaggregation by district, as well as other key demographic characteristics crucial for understanding disproportionate impact. When discussing issues of equity, for instance, demographic intersectionality is fundamental to avoid complacency.
My husband and I maintain high expectations for Chula Vista and its representatives. He and I believe that to those whom much is given, much is expected. Much is given to us. Much is expected from us. Therefore, we can do better.
Very respectfully,
Dr. Christos Korgan
Dr. Emiliano Carpio
Item 7.2 - Written Communications
Korgan - Received 1/24/2023