From: Laurie alderman
Sent: Thursday, July 3, 2025 10:01 PM
To: Damien O'Bid <[email protected]>; Susan Harvey <[email protected]>; Sylvia Lemus <[email protected]>; Ben Ford <[email protected]>; Laura Sparks <[email protected]>; Chris Simmons <[email protected]>; John Savage <[email protected]>; FAC David Snyder
Cc: Kevin Patterson <[email protected]>; George Barich ; Michael Ceremello Ceremello
; Adina Flores ; Steve Ngo
<[email protected]>; Michael Hilber ; David Rabbitt <[email protected]>; John Bakker
<[email protected]>; Carleton L. Briggs Attorney at Law <[email protected]>
Subject: Tuesday's agenda item to restrict speech further.
With no direction at the last meeting, Damien O'Bid has further restricted citizen's civil rights on the city council rules update item on Tuesday. "Members of the public are prohibited from SPEAKING, yelling, or otherwise making loud noises from the audience that disrupt the orderly proceeding of the meeting".
It is a discretionary and subjective act what constitutes a disruption of a meeting. It has repeatedly in the last decade been used against only us opposing voices only that our words "disrupt the meeting". People who sing kumbaya with the staff and council are able to speak without it being a "disruption" for many years. Let me remind you that with the presentations for Juneteenth last month, two speakers were allowed to sing, dance, bang drums, etc. for 15 minutes each.
How much more retaliation for the code enforcement scandal are you all going to dish out to us citizens? How many First Amendment civil rights Federal lawsuits do you want? You've had three in the last decade. Want more?
Plus, you all put it on the consent calendar. Knowing your actions, you all won't even pull it from the consent calendar, and then pass the consent calendar unanimously.
And you wonder why no citizens come to Cotati's council meetings? It's because of the risk of personal consequences for speaking against the council that keeps citizens away.
Also, I'd like to remind you all in regards to trying to silence me since November 2023 when I whistle blew to the council on the code enforcement scandal/Robert Smith's corruption, your duty under the city's code of ethics to report that corruption to the proper authorities (included in the proposed city council rules agenda item attached); J. Disclosure of Corruption
All City officials shall take an oath upon assuming office, pledging to uphold the constitution and laws of the City, the State and the Federal government. As part of this oath, officials commit to disclosing to the appropriate authorities and/or to the City Council any behavior or activity that may qualify as corruption, abuse, fraud, bribery or other violation of the law.
How patriotic of you all to do this right before the 4th of July.
Sincerely,
Laurie Alderman