Riverside City Council
December 13, 2022

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·8· · · · · · · · · · · CITY OF RIVERSIDE
· · · · · · · · · BOARD OF ETHICS HEARING PANEL
·9· · THE PREHEARING FOR COMPLAINT:· LARRATT-SMITH v. CONDER · · · · · · · · · · THURSDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2022
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22· ·Transcribed by:
· · ·Christine Aiello
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·1· · · · · · · · BOARD OF ETHICS HEARING PANEL
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· · ·Chair Freya Foley
·3· ·Member Rikka De Herrera
· · ·Member Annette Demont
·4· ·Member Kimberly Foreman
· · ·Member Gloria Huerta
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10· · · · · · OTHERS PRESENT ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD
11· ·Eva Arseo, City Clerk
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·1· · · · · · · · · · · · · · INDEX
· · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · ·Page ·2· ·Public Comment· · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · 4, 38 · · ·Motion by the Board· · · · · · · 19, 22, 27, 30, 33, 36 ·3· ·Settlement Discussion· · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · 20 · · ·Evidence Review· · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · 22 ·4· ·Adjournment· · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · 64 ·5
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·1· · · · · · · · · · P R O C E E D I N G S
·2· · · · (On the record)
·3· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· The first item on the agenda is ·4· ·public comment.· And are we -- are there any -- anyone ·5· ·on the phones, do we know?· First, we need to see if ·6· ·there's anyone on the phones.· I know we're waiting for ·7· ·the -- well, the techs usually tell us if there's
·8· ·somebody on the phone.
·9· · · · · · ·One?· Okay.
10· · · · · · ·Can we hear from caller number one, please? 11· · · · · · ·THE ATTORNEY:· (Indiscernible) --
12· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Okay.
13· · · · · · ·THE ATTORNEY:· -- the call.
14· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· All right, okay.· Uh-huh.
15· · · · · · ·Okay.· To participate virtually, please call 16· ·(669) 900-6833 and enter meeting ID 926 9699 1265. 17· ·Press star nine to request to speak.· Individuals in 18· ·the queue will be prompted -- will be prompted.· Press 19· ·six to unmute and speak.
20· · · · · · ·Do we have anybody in the queue, in the caller 21· ·queue?· We'll give it a little -- one more minute, and 22· ·then we'll go forward.· Nothing?
23· · · · · · ·Okay, all right.· So now we're going to go 24· ·with audience communications.· Can -- the first speaker 25· ·is Rich Gardner.
·1· · · · · · ·Are you going to time him?· Oh, it
·2· ·automatically times him, okay.
·3· · · · · · ·MR. GARDNER:· Okay.· Anyway, good evening, ·4· ·Board of Ethics members.· I don't know the exact title. ·5· ·My name is Rich Gardner.· I live in Ward 4, which is ·6· ·Chuck's ward.· And I apologize, I'm a little rattled. ·7· ·I -- my mom moved up to Westmont Village, up to that ·8· ·area, and I'm having a lot of issues right now so I -- ·9· ·I'm kind scatterbrained.
10· · · · · · ·But I just caught wind that Councilman Conder 11· ·is being brought before the Board of Ethics.· I really 12· ·didn't even have time to open up all the different 13· ·things, but I'm hear to speak to the person I know, 14· ·Chuck Conder, Council Member Conder.· I've known him 15· ·since he was an assistant to Chris MacArthur in Ward 5, 16· ·when I lived in Ward 5.· And I've known him, I guess, 17· ·for about six, seven years now.· I've always known him 18· ·to be an honest person.
19· · · · · · ·So basically, I'm just here to support my 20· ·council member, and I would do the same for any council 21· ·member in this city that I have a personal relationship 22· ·with and that I know is honest.
23· · · · · · ·I think -- well, first of all, I think it's a 24· ·shame that I'm down here defending a person of this 25· ·high character, in my mind.· And anyway, like I said, ·1· ·I'm really sorry, I'm just a little rattled because ·2· ·Westmont Village up there is a horrible place.· Please, ·3· ·don't -- don't ever send your parent to Westmont
·4· ·Village.· That's beside the point.
·5· · · · · · ·Chuck Conder is a great guy.· And I've got to ·6· ·go take care of some issues up at Westmont Village ·7· ·because they don't know how to take care of my mom. ·8· ·Have a good night.
·9· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Thank you for your comments, 10· ·sir.
11· · · · · · ·Do we have anybody else for this
12· ·(indiscernible)?
13· · · · · · ·Okay.· Are there -- is there anybody on the 14· ·line now?
15· · · · · · ·MR. MCCARTHY:· Good evening, honorable
16· ·citizens of the ethics board.· Thank you for your
17· ·service to the city.· My name is Mike McCarthy.· I live 18· ·in Mission Grove in Ward 4, and I am a member in
19· ·Riverside Neighbors Opposing Warehouses.· I come here 20· ·today to speak on the issue of Councilman Conder's 21· ·conduct with regards to the West Campus upper plateau 22· ·industrial warehouse project that's being proposed by 23· ·the March JPA in our neighborhood.
24· · · · · · ·We ask that he recuse himself due to his 25· ·public and written statements on this issue.
·1· ·Basically, he's supposed to be a neutral referee on ·2· ·this topic.· And I'm going to use an analogy for
·3· ·baseball.· You know, it's like -- it's like the Yankees ·4· ·and the Dodgers are playing a baseball game and the ref ·5· ·-- the umpire came out ahead of the game and said, hey, ·6· ·I'm a member of team Yankees and I stand by the
·7· ·Yankees.· People who like the Dodgers would be like, ·8· ·that -- that umpire can't be trusted to call balls and ·9· ·strikes.· He's not a neutral observer.
10· · · · · · ·Well, we think that Chuck Conder has been 11· ·doing exactly that, except his team is Team Developer. 12· ·So he's publicly and privately commented that he's a 13· ·part of the developer three separate times.· My
14· ·colleague, Jennifer Larratt-Smith, has provided you 15· ·video evidence of him saying that he stands with the 16· ·developers.· We also have two emails saying that he 17· ·stands with Team Developer, one in February and one in 18· ·November.
19· · · · · · ·I want the commission to have a neutral
20· ·commissioner who is going to make a decision on this 21· ·project.· We don't think Councilman Conder is that 22· ·person.
23· · · · · · ·We've also done a public records request, 24· ·which was completed after the submission for this
25· ·ethics complaint was due, and we -- we asked for all ·1· ·the emails that Councilman Conder sent to and from the ·2· ·members -- members of Riverside Neighbors Opposing ·3· ·Warehouses' leaders.· We have sent him 35 emails.· He ·4· ·has responded zero times.
·5· · · · · · ·He has, however, responded to one email that ·6· ·I wrote regarding the possibility of residential zoning ·7· ·in this area.· And he, instead of responding to me, he ·8· ·responded to the planning commissioner of the March JPA ·9· ·saying that that person did an excellent job of
10· ·responding to me, but he did not respond to me with 11· ·that.· So he basically just kept me out of the process. 12· ·So it is also the case that that area can be zoned 13· ·residential, and Councilman Conder was incorrect on 14· ·that.
15· · · · · · ·So in addition, in August the Councilman 16· ·Conder stated that there was going to be an -- that 17· ·there was going to be an open house for us to discuss 18· ·this project with the developer.· Councilman Conder 19· ·sent an email to the director of the J -- JPA saying, 20· ·it was going to be a "lively meeting."· And he's just 21· ·been showing contempt for his constituents and has not 22· ·had an open mind towards them, towards us, like he has 23· ·towards the developer.
24· · · · · · ·And so on multiple occasions he's showed his 25· ·friendliness and that he's part of Team Developer, and ·1· ·on multiple occasions he has showed his contempt for ·2· ·us.· So we just think he is not a neutral party for ·3· ·this commission, and, therefore, we'd ask that he
·4· ·recuse himself or that you hold -- uphold that he has ·5· ·prejudged his opinion on this project.
·6· · · · · · ·Thank you for your time.
·7· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Thank you.
·8· · · · · · ·Are there any other calls?· No, okay.
·9· · · · · · ·All right.· We're now closing public
10· ·communications at this -- public comment at this time. 11· · · · · · ·Can -- if the respondent and the plaintiff are 12· ·both here, please identify yourselves.
13· · · · · · ·MS. LARRATT-SMITH:· I'm the complainant. 14· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Okay.· But you have to stand up 15· ·and tell me who you are.
16· · · · · · ·MS. LARRATT-SMITH:· Okay.· My name is Jennifer 17· ·Larratt-Smith.· I'm the complainant.
18· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Thank you.
19· · · · · · ·COUNCILMAN CONDER:· Chuck Conder here.
20· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Thank you.
21· · · · · · ·Okay.· I'm going to ask the city clerk to 22· ·confirm that all the complaint procedures have been 23· ·followed.· And I believe that is Ms. Arseo going to -- 24· ·there she is, okay.· The name, address, telephone
25· ·number, and email, if available, the complainant
·1· ·provided?
·2· · · · · · ·MS. ARSEO:· Yes, it was.· And this is Eva ·3· ·Arseo, the assistant --
·4· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· We can't hear you.
·5· · · · · · ·MS. ARSEO:· -- city clerk.· Let me raise my ·6· ·-- can you hear me now?
·7· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· No.
·8· · · · · · ·MS. ARSEO:· Still can't hear me?
·9· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Now we can.
10· · · · · · ·MS. ARSEO:· I'll speak louder.· This is Eva -- 11· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Thank you.
12· · · · · · ·MS. ARSEO:· -- Arseo, the assistant city 13· ·clerk.· Yes, I -- I did review the complaint when we 14· ·received it.· The complainant did complete the name, 15· ·address, and information.
16· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Thank you.
17· · · · · · ·Did they provide the name and the position of 18· ·the public official against whom the complaint is made? 19· · · · · · ·MS. ARSEO:· Yes.
20· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Did they provide the date of the 21· ·alleged violation?
22· · · · · · ·MS. ARSEO:· Yes.
23· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Did they provide the date the 24· ·complainant became aware of the alleged violation? 25· · · · · · ·MS. ARSEO:· Yes.
·1· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· And were -- was the specific ·2· ·provision of the prohibited conduct section of this ·3· ·chapter -- chapter alleged to be violated provided? ·4· · · · · · ·MS. ARSEO:· Yes.
·5· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· And was there a description of ·6· ·the specific facts of the alleged violation provided? ·7· · · · · · ·MS. ARSEO:· Yes.
·8· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· And were the names, addresses, ·9· ·telephone numbers, email addresses, if known, of each 10· ·person the complainant intends to call as a witness at 11· ·the hearing provided?
12· · · · · · ·MS. ARSEO:· Yes.
13· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· And were copies of any and all 14· ·documents, photographs, recordings, or other tangible 15· ·materials to be introduced and considered at the
16· ·hearing provided?
17· · · · · · ·MS. ARSEO:· Yes.
18· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· And was the complainant's
19· ·complaint signed under penalty of perjury of the laws 20· ·of the State of California?
21· · · · · · ·MS. ARSEO:· Yes.
22· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· And was it filed within 180 23· ·calendar days of discovery of the alleged violation of 24· ·this chapter, but no more than three years from the 25· ·date of the alleged violation?
·1· · · · · · ·MS. ARSEO:· Yes, for the --
·2· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Okay.
·3· · · · · · ·MS. ARSEO:· -- majority of the dates listed. ·4· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Yes, okay.· And so, Ms. Arseo, ·5· ·have you identified that all of the complaint
·6· ·procedures have been followed?
·7· · · · · · ·MS. ARSEO:· Yes.
·8· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Okay.· And would you please make ·9· ·a statement to that effect?
10· · · · · · ·MS. ARSEO:· Yes.· City clerk's office did 11· ·review the complaint and identified that all -- all 12· ·procedures were followed and was deemed complete.
13· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Thank you.
14· · · · · · ·Okay.· I'm now going to ask the hearing panel 15· ·to discuss, yes or no, is the complaint against a
16· ·public official subject to the code.
17· · · · · · ·You can -- I -- we can try to see if that's 18· ·working.· Press your --
19· · · · · · ·MEMBER FOREMAN:· Oh, I -- I don't think we can 20· ·vote that way if Gloria --
21· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Oh, that's --
22· · · · · · ·MEMBER FOREMAN:· -- is --
23· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· -- right.
24· · · · · · ·MEMBER FOREMAN:· -- virtual.
25· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Okay.
·1· · · · · · ·MEMBER FOREMAN:· I think we have to do it ·2· ·this --
·3· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Okay.
·4· · · · · · ·MEMBER FOREMAN:· -- way.
·5· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· So can you do a vote roll call ·6· ·if everyone agrees, yes or no, please?
·7· · · · · · ·THE CLERK:· Okay.
·8· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Because we have to do that ·9· ·because Gloria is in another area.
10· · · · · · ·THE CLERK:· Okay.· Chair Foley.
11· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Yes.
12· · · · · · ·THE CLERK:· Member Foreman.
13· · · · · · ·MEMBER FOREMAN:· Yes, yes.
14· · · · · · ·THE CLERK:· Member De Herrera.
15· · · · · · ·MEMBER DE HERRERA:· Yes.
16· · · · · · ·THE CLERK:· Member Huerta.
17· · · · · · ·MEMBER HUERTA:· Yes.
18· · · · · · ·THE CLERK:· Member Demont.
19· · · · · · ·MEMBER DEMONT:· Yes.
20· · · · · · ·THE CLERK:· Okay.· It carries.
21· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Thank you.
22· · · · · · ·Okay.· Also, yes or no, could you please -- 23· ·the -- let us know whether or not could you do another 24· ·hearing -- hearing -- could you do another roll call 25· ·vote to see if the complaint alleges a violation of one ·1· ·or more prohibited conduct sections of the code?
·2· · · · · · ·THE CLERK:· All right.· Chair Foley.
·3· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Yes.
·4· · · · · · ·THE CLERK:· Member Foreman.
·5· · · · · · ·MEMBER FOREMAN:· Yes.
·6· · · · · · ·THE CLERK:· Member De Herrera.
·7· · · · · · ·MEMBER DE HERRERA:· Yes.
·8· · · · · · ·THE CLERK:· Member Huerta.
·9· · · · · · ·MEMBER HUERTA:· Yes.
10· · · · · · ·THE CLERK:· Member Demont.
11· · · · · · ·MEMBER DEMONT:· Yes.
12· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Okay.· And again, roll call, 13· ·please, does the complaint not restate allegations of 14· ·violations that were subject of a previous complaint? 15· · · · · · ·THE CLERK:· Chair Foley.
16· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Wait a second.· Yes, it doesn't. 17· · · · · · ·THE CLERK:· Member Foreman.
18· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· No, it doesn't, is what I want 19· ·to say.
20· · · · · · ·MEMBER FOREMAN:· Yes, that's true that it does 21· ·not.
22· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Yeah.
23· · · · · · ·MEMBER FOREMAN:· You know -- you know what 24· ·we --
25· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· That was very --
·1· · · · · · ·MEMBER FOREMAN:· -- all mean.
·2· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· -- worded very strange.
·3· · · · · · ·MEMBER FOREMAN:· You know what we mean.
·4· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· We know what we mean.
·5· · · · · · ·MEMBER DE HERRERA:· So you're saying it
·6· ·doesn't include -- yes, it does not?
·7· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Yes, it does not.
·8· · · · · · ·MEMBER FOREMAN:· It does not.· Yes, it does ·9· ·not.· It was -- it was done correctly because --
10· ·because it does not include --
11· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Okay.· So the question is
12· ·whether or not it contains allegations -- the subject 13· ·does not restate allegations of violations that were 14· ·subject of a previous complaint.· So the answer -- so 15· ·the answer would be no, actually, no, it does not
16· ·contain that.
17· · · · · · ·MEMBER DE HERRERA:· Well, I have a question. 18· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Okay.· Go ahead.
19· · · · · · ·MEMBER DE HERRERA:· Because he had a -- he was 20· ·part of a previous --
21· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· You have to --
22· · · · · · ·MEMBER DE HERRERA:· Oh, I'm sorry, wrong 23· ·button.
24· · · · · · ·MEMBER FOREMAN:· Yeah, and use hat.
25· · · · · · ·MEMBER DE HERRERA:· Well, I have a -- because ·1· ·he was subject to a previous complaint, and this all ·2· ·kind of circles back to the JPL, no?· Or is this
·3· ·completely --
·4· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· It's not the same allegation. ·5· · · · · · ·MEMBER DE HERRERA:· It's not -- no, it's a ·6· ·different allegation.
·7· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Right.
·8· · · · · · ·MEMBER DE HERRERA:· So it's --
·9· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Uh-huh.
10· · · · · · ·MEMBER DE HERRERA:· -- a different --
11· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Right.
12· · · · · · ·MEMBER DE HERRERA:· Okay.· Yes.
13· · · · · · ·MEMBER FOREMAN:· Okay.
14· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· I understand.
15· · · · · · ·THE CLERK:· Looking at you.
16· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Annette.
17· · · · · · ·THE CLERK:· Member -- Member Huerta.
18· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Oh, okay.· Oh, Huerta, sorry. 19· · · · · · ·MEMBER HUERTA:· I believe it is similar in 20· ·content and allegations as a prior complaint.
21· · · · · · ·THE CLERK:· Okay.· SO that's a yes.· Okay. 22· · · · · · ·Member Demont.
23· · · · · · ·MEMBER DEMONT:· I do not believe that the 24· ·complaint is the same or the allegations are the same. 25· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Are different, okay.
·1· · · · · · ·So okay.· So okay.· I'm trying to understand, ·2· ·so Ms. Huerta and Ms. Demont, you're saying that -- ·3· · · · · · ·THE ATTORNEY:· Demont.
·4· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· -- the allegations are the same ·5· ·as the previous complaint, or they are not?
·6· · · · · · ·MEMBER DEMONT:· They are not.
·7· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Okay.
·8· · · · · · ·THE CLERK:· They are different, uh-huh.
·9· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Just Gloria feels --
10· · · · · · ·MEMBER HUERTA:· I believe they are.
11· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Uh-huh.
12· · · · · · ·THE CLERK:· Gloria.
13· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· And, Gloria, did you want to 14· ·have a --
15· · · · · · ·MEMBER HUERTA:· No.
16· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· -- say anything to support that? 17· ·Okay.
18· · · · · · ·MEMBER HUERTA:· No.
19· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· So could you please --
20· · · · · · ·MEMBER HUERTA:· I think the facts stand for 21· ·themselves.
22· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Okay.· Thank you.
23· · · · · · ·So could you give us the tally, please?
24· · · · · · ·THE CLERK:· So the Chair Foley, Member
25· ·Foreman, Member De Herrera, Member Demont, yes.
·1· ·Four --
·2· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Uh-huh.
·3· · · · · · ·THE CLERK:· -- yes, and Huerta -- Member ·4· ·Huerta no.
·5· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Okay.· Thank you.
·6· · · · · · ·MEMBER DE HERRERA:· So those -- the similar ·7· ·one, like because I think there's still -- sorry, you ·8· ·can't hear me.· Sorry.· I think it's still similar, ·9· ·too, so then I would be no, because I think it's still 10· ·similar to the previous complaint, even though it's by 11· ·a different person, but it's kind of like the same 12· ·context.
13· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Well, I don't know if the -- 14· ·that's not the -- the ordinance is that it does not 15· ·restate allegations of violations that were subject to 16· ·-- of a previous complaint.· So --
17· · · · · · ·MEMBER DE HERRERA:· So because a different box 18· ·was checked on number five, it's a different thing, 19· ·whereas like the previous allegations were like two 20· ·boxes were checked on five, correct?· So that's why 21· ·they're different?
22· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· No.· It would be -- I don't have 23· ·that previous one in front of me, but this one is
24· ·alleging M, a violation of M.
25· · · · · · ·MEMBER DE HERRERA:· Okay.
·1· · · · · · ·MEMBER FOREMAN:· Could I make a comment? I ·2· ·was on the hearing panel --
·3· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Uh-huh.
·4· · · · · · ·MEMBER FOREMAN:· -- for the previous one. ·5· ·This is a different allegation.· It's regarding the -- ·6· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Okay.
·7· · · · · · ·MEMBER FOREMAN:· -- same organization, the ·8· ·Joint Powers Authority, and his role on it; but it's a ·9· ·very, very different allegation of alleged conduct. 10· · · · · · ·MEMBER DE HERRERA:· Okay.· Thank you.
11· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· So, Commissioner De Herrera, are 12· ·you staying with your position?
13· · · · · · ·MEMBER DE HERRERA:· Yes.
14· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· And can you speak into that mic 15· ·so I can hear that?
16· · · · · · ·MEMBER DE HERRERA:· Yes.· Sorry.
17· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Okay.· Thank you, thank you. 18· · · · · · ·Okay, okay, okay.· So can I please get a 19· ·motion that the complaint either does or does not
20· ·comply with all of the requirements that we just set 21· ·forth?
22· · · · · · ·MEMBER FOREMAN:· I move that we vote that it 23· ·does comply with all the requirements set forth.
24· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Okay.· May I have a second, 25· ·please?· Okay.
·1· · · · · · ·MEMBER DEMONT:· I move for a second.
·2· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Thank you.
·3· · · · · · ·Okay.· The motion -- well, we have to vote ·4· ·now.· I like to go from motions to -- and --
·5· · · · · · ·THE CLERK:· Okay.· Chair Foley.
·6· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Yes.
·7· · · · · · ·THE CLERK:· Member Foreman.
·8· · · · · · ·MEMBER FOREMAN:· Yes.
·9· · · · · · ·THE CLERK:· Member De Herrera.
10· · · · · · ·MEMBER DE HERRERA:· Yes.
11· · · · · · ·THE CLERK:· Member Huerta.
12· · · · · · ·MEMBER HUERTA:· No.
13· · · · · · ·THE CLERK:· Member Demont.
14· · · · · · ·MEMBER DEMONT:· Yes.
15· · · · · · ·THE CLERK:· Motion carries, four-one.
16· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Okay.· Thank you.
17· · · · · · ·Okay.· The code requires us to see --
18· ·determine if the parties can settle the matter.· Is 19· ·there a possibility for settlement?· Can we have -- do 20· ·-- are there any ideas for settlement?· Could the -- do 21· ·the complaint and the respondent, would they like to 22· ·have -- take an ethics board member with them and have 23· ·a discussion about possible settlement?· What's the 24· ·possibilities here?
25· · · · · · ·You --
·1· · · · · · ·MS. LARRATT-SMITH:· Well --
·2· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· You can come forward and speak ·3· ·in the mic.
·4· · · · · · ·MS. LARRATT-SMITH:· Well, our ask is that he ·5· ·recuse himself from the JPA commission because of
·6· ·having prejudged this proposal.· So we would be okay ·7· ·with that if he was willing to do that.· So --
·8· · · · · · ·COUNCILMAN CONDER:· Good evening,
·9· ·commissioners, and Ms. Huerta out there.· I'm still not 10· ·sure why we're here because I'm being accused of
11· ·prejudging a project that doesn't exist.· No plans have 12· ·been sent into the Joint Powers planning team.· There 13· ·is no CEQA actions.· There is no EIR.· There is no 14· ·project.· I just don't understand why we're here
15· ·because it doesn't exist.
16· · · · · · ·Now, the developer is doing what he's
17· ·supposed to do, he floats a proposal and has meetings, 18· ·and that's what been going on.· There's a procedure and 19· ·a process to this.· And I -- I just don't understand at 20· ·all --
21· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Okay.
22· · · · · · ·COUNCILMAN CONDER:· -- what they're trying to 23· ·do, because I can't prejudge what doesn't exist.
24· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Okay.· Thank you for your -- 25· · · · · · ·COUNCILMAN CONDER:· So --
·1· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· -- comment, Councilman Conder. ·2· · · · · · ·So I'm going to presume from those two
·3· ·statements that there's no settlement possible.
·4· · · · · · ·Okay.· I will now ask the hearing panel to ·5· ·review the submitted evidence and determine if any ·6· ·evidence is irrelevant and should be deemed
·7· ·inadmissible.
·8· · · · · · ·MEMBER FOREMAN:· I had a comment.
·9· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Who am --
10· · · · · · ·MEMBER FOREMAN:· I --
11· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· -- I -- okay.
12· · · · · · ·MEMBER FOREMAN:· This --
13· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Go ahead.
14· · · · · · ·MEMBER FOREMAN:· Is that okay?
15· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Yeah.
16· · · · · · ·MEMBER FOREMAN:· Okay.· I didn't want to jump 17· ·in front of anyone.
18· · · · · · ·I appreciated the information in the general 19· ·plan from 2010, but I don't think it has any direct 20· ·bearing on the allegations against Council Member
21· ·Conder.· So I would -- I would move, or whatever I do, 22· ·to suggest that that be not included.
23· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· So could you please restate 24· ·which documents you were stating?
25· · · · · · ·MEMBER FOREMAN:· The general plan, the
·1· ·Riverside General Plan --
·2· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Okay.
·3· · · · · · ·MEMBER FOREMAN:· -- from 2010 --
·4· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Okay.
·5· · · · · · ·MEMBER FOREMAN:· -- correct?
·6· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Okay.
·7· · · · · · ·MEMBER FOREMAN:· Yeah.
·8· · · · · · ·MEMBER DEMONT:· Can we have a page number on ·9· ·that, please?
10· · · · · · ·MEMBER FOREMAN:· It's an entire document.· So 11· ·I -- I --
12· · · · · · ·MEMBER DEMONT:· It's the entire thing?
13· · · · · · ·MEMBER FOREMAN:· Yeah.
14· · · · · · ·MEMBER DE HERRERA:· It's attachment B.
15· · · · · · ·MEMBER DEMONT:· Thank you.
16· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Yeah, it's part of the --
17· · · · · · ·MEMBER FOREMAN:· Thank you.
18· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· -- packet.
19· · · · · · ·MEMBER FOREMAN:· Thank you.
20· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Okay.
21· · · · · · ·MEMBER HUERTA:· And I would second that
22· ·motion.· This is --
23· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Okay.
24· · · · · · ·MEMBER HUERTA:· -- Dr. Huerta, Gloria Huerta. 25· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Okay.· Thank you, Gloria.
·1· · · · · · ·Do you have to have a moment to look it up, or ·2· ·are we ready to vote?
·3· · · · · · ·MEMBER DEMONT:· It's -- it's not in our
·4· ·paperwork.· It was --
·5· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· It's in the --
·6· · · · · · ·MEMBER DEMONT:· It was on the -- the thumb ·7· ·drive and the --
·8· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· The thumb drive.
·9· · · · · · ·MEMBER DEMONT:· -- links within the original. 10· ·So -- so it was (indiscernible).
11· · · · · · ·MEMBER FOREMAN:· Sorry, I'm -- I was just 12· ·brought into this, so I'm a little --
13· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Okay.· So --
14· · · · · · ·MEMBER FOREMAN:· I did read it, though.
15· · · · · · ·MEMBER DEMONT:· You could ask (indiscernible). 16· ·So --
17· · · · · · ·MEMBER FOREMAN:· But it was a while ago. 18· · · · · · ·I will.
19· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Okay.
20· · · · · · ·MEMBER FOREMAN:· Thank you.
21· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· It's -- okay.· So, madam clerk, 22· ·can we do a roll call vote, please?· There's been a 23· ·motion and a second, may we -- may we please maybe have 24· ·a roll call vote?
25· · · · · · ·THE CLERK:· Chair Foley.
·1· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· And --
·2· · · · · · ·THE CLERK:· Oh.
·3· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Okay.· So and do you want to ·4· ·restate -- restate --
·5· · · · · · ·THE ATTORNEY:· The motion.
·6· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· -- your --
·7· · · · · · ·MEMBER FOREMAN:· I move -- I move that the ·8· ·Riverside County General Plan from 2010 be excluded as ·9· ·being irrelevant to this allegation.
10· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Okay, all right.
11· · · · · · ·THE CLERK:· Chair Foley.
12· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Yes.
13· · · · · · ·THE CLERK:· Member Foreman.
14· · · · · · ·MEMBER FOREMAN:· Yes.
15· · · · · · ·THE CLERK:· Member De Herrera.
16· · · · · · ·MEMBER DE HERRERA:· Yes.
17· · · · · · ·THE CLERK:· Member Huerta.
18· · · · · · ·MEMBER HUERTA:· Yes.
19· · · · · · ·THE CLERK:· Member Demont.
20· · · · · · ·MEMBER DEMONT:· Abstain.
21· · · · · · ·THE CLERK:· Okay.· Four-one, motion carries. 22· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Thank you.
23· · · · · · ·Okay.· The motion carries.
24· · · · · · ·Is there ever -- any other evidence that 25· ·anyone thinks should -- is irrelevant and should be ·1· ·deemed inadmissible?
·2· · · · · · ·MEMBER FOREMAN:· I would like to hear some of ·3· ·the other panel members' thoughts on this, but some of ·4· ·the emails where Council Member Conder was included, ·5· ·either himself or his assistant, they don't -- they ·6· ·look like, you know, he's part of this, you know,
·7· ·project, but really, they -- they are also simply
·8· ·emails of discussing planning public meetings, which ·9· ·anyone would do, no matter what their thoughts were on 10· ·how --
11· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Uh-huh.
12· · · · · · ·MEMBER FOREMAN:· -- they were going to vote or 13· ·their thoughts on the record project.· And those would 14· ·be -- if you want to hear specifically, let me get my 15· ·glasses.
16· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Yeah, they're on --
17· · · · · · ·MEMBER FOREMAN:· -- page -- page 17 through 18· ·page 20.· Like I say, I think they're simply -- any -- 19· ·anybody would have been part of that planning process, 20· ·as his role as a Joint Powers member --
21· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Right.
22· · · · · · ·MEMBER FOREMAN:· -- and as a council member. 23· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· So would you --
24· · · · · · ·MEMBER FOREMAN:· So --
25· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Do you want to make a motion, ·1· ·please?
·2· · · · · · ·MEMBER FOREMAN:· I move that we exclude those ·3· ·emails, those particular ones.
·4· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Do we have a second?
·5· · · · · · ·MEMBER DE HERRERA:· I second.
·6· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Okay.
·7· · · · · · ·MEMBER FOREMAN:· It looks like we have a ·8· ·comment from --
·9· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Do you have a comment?
10· · · · · · ·MEMBER FOREMAN:· -- the complainant.
11· · · · · · ·MS. LARRATT-SMITH:· Am I allowed to speak on 12· ·that?· The relevant part is that --
13· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· No, you're not allowed to -- 14· · · · · · ·MS. LARRATT-SMITH:· Oh.
15· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· -- speak --
16· · · · · · ·MEMBER FOREMAN:· Oh, is she --
17· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· -- on that.
18· · · · · · ·MEMBER FOREMAN:· My -- the -- my reasoning is 19· ·that --
20· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· You don't have to -- you don't 21· ·respond.
22· · · · · · ·MEMBER FOREMAN:· Oh, okay.· Well --
23· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Okay.
24· · · · · · ·MEMBER FOREMAN:· -- just in case any of the 25· ·other panel members are wondering.
·1· · · · · · ·Did any of the other --
·2· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Okay.
·3· · · · · · ·MEMBER FOREMAN:· -- panel members have any ·4· ·questions about that or comments?
·5· · · · · · ·MEMBER DEMONT:· I would like to hear your ·6· ·comment.
·7· · · · · · ·MEMBER FOREMAN:· Oh, that at first it looks ·8· ·like oh, you know, he's in on it, he's helping -- he's ·9· ·helping the developers plan this, so he must be for it. 10· ·I'm -- I'm kind of guessing that's sort of the -- the 11· ·thought.
12· · · · · · ·No, okay.· She's shaking her head.
13· · · · · · ·But anyway, I didn't see that, I'm not
14· ·responding to that.
15· · · · · · ·MS. LARRATT-SMITH:· And I couldn't respond. 16· ·So --
17· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Excuse me.· Can we have order? 18· ·The -- it's -- panel's discussion is taking place, and 19· ·there will be no comments from the audience at this 20· ·time.· Thank you.
21· · · · · · ·MEMBER FOREMAN:· It -- it just looks to me 22· ·that these emails are simply planning and discussing 23· ·public meetings, who's going to attend, when they're 24· ·going to be, how they're going to be run.· I think 25· ·those would be appropriate for anybody on the Joint ·1· ·Powers.· And but I -- I'm not like -- I don't have this ·2· ·really passionate feeling about that, I just, that was ·3· ·my belief.
·4· · · · · · ·Does anyone else have any comments?
·5· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· I agree.· I agree with that. I ·6· ·was looking at them, and I kind of -- and I felt that ·7· ·they were not -- they were just meeting setups, who's ·8· ·going to attend, who doesn't want to attend the
·9· ·meetings.· I thought they were rather perfunctory and 10· ·didn't really belong.
11· · · · · · ·MEMBER FOREMAN:· And I believe --
12· · · · · · ·MEMBER HUERTA:· And -- and I also agree with 13· ·those comments.
14· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Okay.
15· · · · · · ·MEMBER HUERTA:· I did not find them of value, 16· ·too, one way or the other.· I felt like it was more a 17· ·behind-the-scenes setting up meetings.
18· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Uh-huh.· Does anyone else have 19· ·any comments or discussion?· Any questions?
20· · · · · · ·Okay.· Could you please do a roll call?
21· · · · · · ·THE CLERK:· Chair Foley.
22· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· What am I saying?· Yes, I think 23· ·it should be removed, they should be removed.
24· · · · · · ·THE CLERK:· Okay.· Member Foreman.
25· · · · · · ·MEMBER FOREMAN:· Yes.
·1· · · · · · ·THE CLERK:· Member De Herrera.
·2· · · · · · ·MEMBER DE HERRERA:· Yes.
·3· · · · · · ·THE CLERK:· Member Huerta.
·4· · · · · · ·MEMBER HUERTA:· Yes.
·5· · · · · · ·THE CLERK:· And, Member Demont.
·6· · · · · · ·MEMBER DEMONT:· Abstain.
·7· · · · · · ·THE CLERK:· Motion carries --
·8· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Okay.
·9· · · · · · ·THE CLERK:· -- four-one.
10· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· All right.
11· · · · · · ·THE CLERK:· All right.
12· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· I'm -- I'm going to -- I think 13· ·in terms of -- caselaw from Kansas was provided, Gold 14· ·-- Golden versus the City of Overland Park, and it has 15· ·no relevance to the State of California.· And the laws 16· ·that apply there do not necessarily apply here. I 17· ·think it's irrelevant.· So I make a motion to remove 18· ·the caselaw from Golden versus City of Overland Park 19· ·from Kansas, the State of Kansas.
20· · · · · · ·MEMBER FOREMAN:· I had a question, too.
21· · · · · · ·MEMBER HUERTA:· I'll second it.
22· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Thank you.
23· · · · · · ·MEMBER FOREMAN:· I -- I had just a quick -- 24· ·that's not a federal law, correct?· That's a state, 25· ·Kansas?
·1· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Yeah.
·2· · · · · · ·MEMBER FOREMAN:· I just wanted to make sure I ·3· ·was correct in --
·4· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· No, it's not --
·5· · · · · · ·MEMBER FOREMAN:· -- that.
·6· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· -- federal.· It's state. I ·7· ·checked that.
·8· · · · · · ·MEMBER DEMONT:· Can I have a question?
·9· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Sure.
10· · · · · · ·MEMBER DEMONT:· What page is it on?
11· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Oh, (indiscernible).
12· · · · · · ·MEMBER DEMONT:· Sorry, I'm catching up.
13· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Does anybody know what page 14· ·that's on?· I don't know what -- I think you have to -- 15· ·it's on the thumb drive.· You have to --
16· · · · · · ·MEMBER DEMONT:· Okay.· Thank you.
17· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· And then you had to click on the 18· ·reference and go and read it.
19· · · · · · ·MEMBER DEMONT:· It's been a while.· Thank you. 20· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Okay, all right.· So do we have 21· ·a --
22· · · · · · ·Gloria, you second?
23· · · · · · ·THE CLERK:· Yes, we have a --
24· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Yeah.
25· · · · · · ·THE CLERK:· -- second --
·1· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Okay.
·2· · · · · · ·THE CLERK:· -- on the floor.
·3· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Can we have a roll call vote, ·4· ·please?
·5· · · · · · ·THE CLERK:· Okay.· Chair Foley.
·6· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Yes.
·7· · · · · · ·THE CLERK:· Member Foreman.
·8· · · · · · ·MEMBER FOREMAN:· Yes.
·9· · · · · · ·THE CLERK:· Member De Herrera.
10· · · · · · ·MEMBER DE HERRERA:· Yes.
11· · · · · · ·THE CLERK:· Member Huerta.
12· · · · · · ·MEMBER HUERTA:· Yes.
13· · · · · · ·THE CLERK:· And, Member Demont.
14· · · · · · ·MEMBER DEMONT:· Abstain.
15· · · · · · ·THE CLERK:· Motion carries.
16· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Okay.· Thank you.
17· · · · · · ·Okay.· I had another one, and it was the other 18· ·caselaw presented in that it wasn't the Black's Law 19· ·where the full case, it wasn't able to be opened and 20· ·was not able to be authenticated.· So I don't know what 21· ·relevance it has or if it's -- how authentic it is.· So 22· ·I would also like to have that removed.
23· · · · · · ·MEMBER FOREMAN:· Could you clarify what that 24· ·is that you're referring to?· I -- I'm not sure what 25· ·you're referring to.· Is that the one from Best Best & ·1· ·Krieger?
·2· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Best Best & Krieger, right.· But ·3· ·it's not -- it's not authenticated.· The full case ·4· ·isn't there, and there's no way to get to the full ·5· ·case.· I've asked the attorney's office if they could ·6· ·get it, and they couldn't get it, as well.· So I'd like ·7· ·to have that removed.· So I make a motion --
·8· · · · · · ·THE CLERK:· (Indiscernible) motion.
·9· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· -- to remove that caselaw
10· ·information.· Is there a second?
11· · · · · · ·MEMBER HUERTA:· I'll second it for
12· ·discussion's sake.
13· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Okay.· Thank you.· All right. 14· · · · · · ·THE CLERK:· Okay.
15· · · · · · ·MEMBER FOREMAN:· My comment is I did click on 16· ·the link when we first got the materials.· And it's 17· ·been a couple of weeks now.· I -- my feeling is that it 18· ·seemed like it was something I was able to verify.· It 19· ·did look legitimate, but this has been --
20· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Well, I'm not saying --
21· · · · · · ·MEMBER FOREMAN:· -- a couple weeks.
22· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· -- that it isn't legitimate. 23· ·I'm saying that --
24· · · · · · ·MEMBER FOREMAN:· That it couldn't be verified 25· ·for the --
·1· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Okay.
·2· · · · · · ·MEMBER FOREMAN:· -- purpose of --
·3· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Okay.
·4· · · · · · ·MEMBER FOREMAN:· Okay.· I -- I feel it's a ·5· ·legitimate piece of evidence.
·6· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Okay.· Is there any other
·7· ·discussion?· None, okay.
·8· · · · · · ·THE CLERK:· Do we want to take a roll call ·9· ·or --
10· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Yeah.· I was going to say, I 11· ·think I've got to -- yes, I think it should be removed. 12· · · · · · ·THE CLERK:· Okay, okay.· So, Member Foley -- 13· ·or Chair Foley.
14· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Yes.
15· · · · · · ·THE CLERK:· Yes.· Member Foreman.
16· · · · · · ·MEMBER FOREMAN:· No.
17· · · · · · ·THE CLERK:· Member De Herrera.
18· · · · · · ·MEMBER DE HERRERA:· I abstain.
19· · · · · · ·THE CLERK:· Member Huerta.
20· · · · · · ·MEMBER HUERTA:· Abstain.
21· · · · · · ·THE CLERK:· And, Member Demont.
22· · · · · · ·MEMBER DEMONT:· Abstain.
23· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Okay.
24· · · · · · ·THE CLERK:· It fails.· So we've got --
25· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· I understand, okay.
·1· · · · · · ·THE CLERK:· Yeah.
·2· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· All right.· Are there -- is ·3· ·there any other evidence that anyone would like to have ·4· ·reviewed at this time?
·5· · · · · · ·Okay, all right.· Then we're going to move ·6· ·forward.· The -- the next factor that we're going to ·7· ·consider is that the hearing panel will not consider ·8· ·whether the complainant has shown that the evidence, if ·9· ·taken as true, more likely than not shows a potential 10· ·violation of a prohibited conduct of the Code of
11· ·Ethics.
12· · · · · · ·And the complainant has checked off M, and M 13· ·states, violations of federal, state, or local law 14· ·prohibited, no public official of the City of Riverside 15· ·shall intentionally or repeatedly violate the Charter 16· ·of the City of Riverside, Riverside Municipal Code, or 17· ·any other established policies of the City of Riverside 18· ·affecting operations of local government, or be
19· ·convicted of violation of any state or federal law 20· ·pertaining to the office which they hold.
21· · · · · · ·Okay.· And now -- now, the -- the respondent 22· ·now begins her case, right?
23· · · · · · ·THE ATTORNEY:· If -- if you decide that -- if 24· ·you decide that --
25· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· We have to make that decision? ·1· · · · · · ·THE ATTORNEY:· Yeah.
·2· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Okay.
·3· · · · · · ·THE ATTORNEY:· Based on --
·4· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· All right.
·5· · · · · · ·THE ATTORNEY:· -- just (indiscernible).
·6· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Okay.· So before we proceed with ·7· ·the case, we have to decide if there is enough evidence ·8· ·to proceed, if the evidence were taken as true.
·9· · · · · · ·MEMBER FOREMAN:· I move that we vote to
10· ·proceed.
11· · · · · · ·MEMBER:· I second.
12· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Okay.
13· · · · · · ·THE CLERK:· Chair Foley.
14· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Yes.
15· · · · · · ·THE CLERK:· Member Foreman.
16· · · · · · ·MEMBER FOREMAN:· Yes.
17· · · · · · ·THE CLERK:· Member De Herrera.
18· · · · · · ·MEMBER DE HERRERA:· Can I get a second reading 19· ·of M one more time, please?
20· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Sure.
21· · · · · · ·MEMBER DE HERRERA:· Thank you.
22· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Okay.· It says that violations 23· ·of federal, state, or local law prohibited, no public 24· ·official of the City of Riverside shall intentionally 25· ·or repeatedly violate the Charter of the City of
·1· ·Riverside, the Riverside Municipal Code, or any
·2· ·established policies of the City of Riverside affecting ·3· ·the operations of local government, or be convicted of ·4· ·violation of any state or federal law pertaining to the ·5· ·office which they hold.
·6· · · · · · ·MEMBER DE HERRERA:· So we're voting on whether ·7· ·or not, with just what we got in our packet, if he did ·8· ·that, yes or no, to move to a hearing, if what we got ·9· ·says, yes, it's enough to move forward; that's what 10· ·we're voting on right now, correct?
11· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· If it is enough to move forward 12· ·to have the hearing.
13· · · · · · ·MEMBER DE HERRERA:· To have the hearing. 14· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Yes.· I mean, if -- if the -- if 15· ·the evidence presented were presumed to be true, would 16· ·you, in fact, want to proceed forward?· Is there enough 17· ·evidence to proceed forward for a hearing.
18· · · · · · ·MEMBER DE HERRERA:· No.
19· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Okay.
20· · · · · · ·THE CLERK:· Member Huerta.
21· · · · · · ·MEMBER HUERTA:· No.
22· · · · · · ·THE CLERK:· And, Member Demont.
23· · · · · · ·MEMBER DEMONT:· Yes.
24· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· You know, I -- I'm going to 25· ·change -- can I change my vote?
·1· · · · · · ·THE CLERK:· Okay.
·2· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· I -- am I allowed to change my ·3· ·vote?
·4· · · · · · ·THE ATTORNEY:· You are.
·5· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Okay.· Just checking.· I'm going ·6· ·to change my vote to no.
·7· · · · · · ·THE CLERK:· Okay.· So the motion, it fails, ·8· ·huh?
·9· · · · · · ·THE ATTORNEY:· Uh-huh.
10· · · · · · ·THE CLERK:· (Indiscernible).
11· · · · · · ·So the motion to proceed fails, three -- two 12· ·yes and two noes.· The motion fails.
13· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· I'm sorry.· Say it.· I can't 14· ·hear you.· What?
15· · · · · · ·THE CLERK:· The motion to proceed fails -- 16· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Okay.
17· · · · · · ·THE CLERK:· -- because we've got three noes -- 18· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· All right.
19· · · · · · ·THE CLERK:· -- and two yes.
20· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· So now do we ask the clerk to -- 21· · · · · · ·THE ATTORNEY:· Public -- public comment. 22· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Okay, all right.· We're going to 23· ·open up for public comment again.· And to call in, the 24· ·call-in number is (669) 900-6833.· And enter meeting ID 25· ·number 926 9699 1265.· Press star nine to request to ·1· ·speak.
·2· · · · · · ·MS. LARRATT-SMITH:· Okay.· Can I speak or ·3· ·shall I put in a card or --
·4· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· No.
·5· · · · · · ·MEMBER HUERTA:· Madam chair --
·6· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· You have to fill out a card. ·7· · · · · · ·MEMBER HUERTA:· -- and legal counsel in
·8· ·chambers, can you hear me?
·9· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Yes.· Gloria, yes.
10· · · · · · ·MEMBER HUERTA:· May I?· Okay.· I'm -- I'm 11· ·sorry I'm not there.· I am deployed to Louisiana for 12· ·the hurricane, so I apologize, but I would like a point 13· ·of order.· If we voted that it was unlikely there was 14· ·sufficient information to move forward to a hearing, 15· ·isn't this is the end of our prehearing today?· Do -- 16· ·is there any other action we are needing to take?
17· ·Because we've determined that there's no need for a 18· ·hearing, based upon our vote, three to two.
19· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Right.
20· · · · · · ·MEMBER HUERTA:· I mean, I'd like to point 21· ·of --
22· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· The --
23· · · · · · ·MEMBER HUERTA:· -- clarification.
24· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· The attorney had said to do 25· ·public comment, so we did it.
·1· · · · · · ·MEMBER HUERTA:· No, I -- and I'm just asking ·2· ·the public -- the --
·3· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Right, he can --
·4· · · · · · ·MEMBER HUERTA:· -- attorney --
·5· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· -- explain.
·6· · · · · · ·MEMBER HUERTA:· -- for --
·7· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Yeah, he can tell us why he said ·8· ·that.
·9· · · · · · ·MEMBER HUERTA:· -- point --
10· · · · · · ·THE ATTORNEY:· Yeah.
11· · · · · · ·MEMBER HUERTA:· -- of order confirmation -- 12· ·confirmation.
13· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Okay.
14· · · · · · ·THE ATTORNEY:· Yeah, the decision has been 15· ·made that the complaint does not state a cause of
16· ·action for violation of the municipal code.· That is 17· ·the end.· There will be no hearing, but they're -- I 18· ·think they're still entitled to public comment.
19· ·Thereafter, there will be procedures to write up a 20· ·decision to -- have -- have a written decision made. 21· ·So this is just public comment at this point.
22· · · · · · ·MS. LARRATT-SMITH:· So they can't change their 23· ·decision based on public comment?
24· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Okay.· So we have -- we'll call 25· ·you when it's time to speak.· Everybody in the
·1· ·audience, please sit down.
·2· · · · · · ·Okay.· The first, we're going to take speakers ·3· ·in the -- in the audience right now.· Our first speaker ·4· ·is Chuck Conder.
·5· · · · · · ·COUNCILMAN CONDER:· Good evening, again. ·6· · · · · · ·And, Gloria, thank you for what you're doing ·7· ·for those victims down there in Louisiana.· We
·8· ·appreciate you.
·9· · · · · · ·So again, I came in this evening hoping that 10· ·this would not go beyond because there's no reason to. 11· ·I don't know what I would have violated.· There is no 12· ·project.· I have opinions, but there's no project. 13· ·There is no CEQA.· There's no EIR.· There is no plans. 14· · · · · · ·Members of the of this group have come before 15· ·the city council asking the council for resolution 16· ·ordering Council Member Perry and I on how to vote. 17· ·That's a violation of the Brown Act, the Serial Meeting 18· ·Act.· That's a -- it's a felony.· You can't do that. 19· · · · · · ·They've asked for a resolution for to -- to 20· ·have no more warehouses.· This is not Riverside land, 21· ·ladies and gentlemen.· This is County of Riverside, and 22· ·it will remain unincorporated County of Riverside until 23· ·at least 2041 when the bonds are paid off and
24· ·annexations could then occur.
25· · · · · · ·The developer is under a DDA.· You know what ·1· ·a DDA is, it's a disposition and development agreement. ·2· ·It's a contract, a legal binding document.
·3· · · · · · ·And I have never said that I support a
·4· ·hundred percent the developer.· I said I would not vote ·5· ·against the law.· Now, in an email when the developer ·6· ·said, this is how I wish to proceed; I said, if that is ·7· ·the way you want to go, I'm a hundred percent behind ·8· ·you.· It is not my right to tell a business how to run ·9· ·their business or a developer how to proceed with the 10· ·public.· There are processes, and the follow --
11· ·processes are being followed.
12· · · · · · ·Riverside has no planning authority over 13· ·this.· This is County of Riverside land in the
14· ·incorporated -- unincorporated county, and it's
15· ·currently in the possession of the Joint Powers
16· ·Authority.
17· · · · · · ·What's been going on with this is nothing 18· ·more than political bullying, it's cancel culture. I 19· ·have not made opinions because nothing has come before 20· ·the commission.· There is nothing.· We don't know.· All 21· ·there is is a potential proposal that is out there. 22· · · · · · ·And again, there's been an awful lot of
23· ·misrepresentations that have been taken out of context. 24· ·And there is no prejudging.· I can't prejudge what 25· ·doesn't exist.
·1· · · · · · ·So I appreciate your time this evening.
·2· ·Again, I'm sorry that you had to go through this.
·3· · · · · · ·Gloria, please travel safe and be well, and ·4· ·thank you for coming in on that.
·5· · · · · · ·And I'm here for any questions, if you have ·6· ·any technical questions, on what the Joint Powers
·7· ·Authority, the Joint Powers commissioners, which we are ·8· ·below the Authority, and then what's going on with the ·9· ·-- the potential of the sunsetting of the JPA.
10· · · · · · ·Thank you.
11· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Okay.· Jen, I believe Jen
12· ·Smallet (phonetic) is -- I can't read the writing, the 13· ·handwriting here.· I believe it's the complainant. 14· · · · · · ·MS. LARRATT-SMITH:· I -- I'm just going to say 15· ·I'm very disappointed.· I -- I realize my argument is 16· ·nuanced and so it's hard -- but it is based on state 17· ·law.· He's not to prejudge.· I provided video clips and 18· ·that email at the very top where he talks about he's a 19· ·hundred percent behind the developer.· He says he
20· ·stands with the developer.· In my video clips, he says 21· ·he cannot vote no.· He says it's against the law, as he 22· ·repeated tonight, that he cannot vote no.
23· · · · · · ·I had a video clip of your own city attorney 24· ·saying that that is inaccurate.· He also said the
25· ·developer owned the land to our -- to 120 constituents, ·1· ·more than once, and that is not true.· The March JPA ·2· ·owns the land.· He is on the voting commission to
·3· ·approve or disapprove land use.
·4· · · · · · ·I have a lot of evidence.· And I have -- I -- ·5· ·and I can't believe I'm not even going to be allowed to ·6· ·present it.· I -- on what basis do you think there was ·7· ·not enough evidence?· Did you watch all the video
·8· ·clips?· Do you understand my argument?
·9· · · · · · ·That's what I'm understanding -- I'm -- I'm 10· ·trying to understand how you could throw out my
11· ·evidence when I have so much evidence that he has
12· ·prejudged and that he is biased in this -- in this -- 13· ·in this instance.· And I -- I honestly, I just can't 14· ·even wrap my brain around how you could think that 15· ·there was no evidence to support my claim.· And I don't 16· ·know that there's more to say.
17· · · · · · ·Thank you.
18· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· I believe Gabriella, I think, 19· ·Wilba (phonetic).· I'm not sure, I can't read the
20· ·handwriting.· I'm not sure, I -- I -- I'm not -- I 21· ·can't read --
22· · · · · · ·MS. MENDEZ:· No, I'm --
23· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· -- that.
24· · · · · · ·MS. MENDEZ:· -- not -- I don't care.· No 25· ·worries.· And sorry --
·1· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· So tell --
·2· · · · · · ·MS. MENDEZ:· -- about the --
·3· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· -- me your name, please.
·4· · · · · · ·MS. MENDEZ:· Gabriella Mendez.
·5· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Yes, okay.· That's it.
·6· · · · · · ·MS. MENDEZ:· Yeah, thank you.
·7· · · · · · ·I'm a resident here in the City of Riverside. ·8· ·And I just want to say I'm a witness to everything that ·9· ·the Arnell group is saying.· I have been at these
10· ·meetings where I have heard Chuck Conder say these 11· ·things, even at some point where he said that our -- 12· ·that our community doesn't care about these kinds of 13· ·developments, talking about Ward 6, where I live, which 14· ·is not only false, but it's discouraging.
15· · · · · · ·And I'm a bit confused.· I know it was stated 16· ·that there is no project, that the project just
17· ·disappeared.· Because I recall going to a meeting at 18· ·the March Air Force Base Museum where they held
19· ·revisions of -- of this project, also asking community 20· ·what they thought about this development.· If it
21· ·doesn't exist, why are they having communities to
22· ·negotiate with the community -- or why are they having 23· ·meetings to talk to the community about what could 24· ·better the project?· I'm confused.
25· · · · · · ·There's another clip that I -- that I
·1· ·recorded myself with Chuck Conder and the developers. ·2· ·And also, where I was at that meeting at the Orange ·3· ·Crest Community Center where he says, I cannot vote no. ·4· ·What does that actually mean as a representative, that ·5· ·you cannot vote no against something?· The whole reason ·6· ·why people are on boards and commissions and why they ·7· ·are represented is because they have the choice to vote ·8· ·yes or no or support their community or not.
·9· · · · · · ·I completely disagree with this, and I don't 10· ·know if it will make any difference, but as a resident, 11· ·I am so disappointed.· And the whole city is watching 12· ·this movement happen.· Because there's so much evidence 13· ·against this, and it's incorrect, it's immoral, it's 14· ·unethical, it's everything.
15· · · · · · ·We've tried to resolve the conflict -- the -- 16· ·everything that's going on by having these meetings and 17· ·allowing Chuck Conder to come in to speak to the
18· ·community, and that is what he tried -- that's what he 19· ·treated us with, and that is what he said.· I don't 20· ·know what could be more sufficient evidence than that. 21· · · · · · ·So I'm 23 years old, but I'm sure that a lot 22· ·of my friends that are also paying attention to this 23· ·feel the same way.· And I will be speaking to my
24· ·community about what's going on because this isn't 25· ·right, this isn't fair.
·1· · · · · · ·And this -- this community has so much
·2· ·evidence.· I can't even imagine what another person who ·3· ·doesn't have the same quantitative of -- of evidence, ·4· ·videos, emails, everything above the line that could -- ·5· ·like potentially be, you know, considered by you folks, ·6· ·imagine they don't have that, what chance do they
·7· ·stand?· Zero.· This is what you're telling the
·8· ·community.· This is not right.
·9· · · · · · ·And I don't -- like I said, I don't really 10· ·know how this works, how this process truly works as a 11· ·resident, but I am truly disappointed, and I really 12· ·wish better because this is not fair.· Those are my 13· ·comments.· I respect all of you, but I do wish the 14· ·decision would have been different.
15· · · · · · ·Thank you.
16· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Thank you.
17· · · · · · ·Taylor Keen.
18· · · · · · ·MS. KEEN:· Hi.· I'm kind of throwing together 19· ·a comment on the fly.· So and I'm -- I'm -- I'm feeling 20· ·lots of feelings right now for a number of reasons, so 21· ·pardon me with that.
22· · · · · · ·I'm going to speak in two capacities.· First, 23· ·I am Taylor Keen, resident of Ward 6.· I have known 24· ·Chuck for a very long time.· We've had a good
25· ·relationship.· Like, I've known him for a long time. ·1· ·So this is -- anything I say now is nothing personal to ·2· ·the man, Chuck Conder.· I also want to point out that I ·3· ·have never met any of the complainants before.
·4· · · · · · ·I am dumbfounded by the decision that was ·5· ·just made.· First, as someone who sat through the last ·6· ·complaint, this complaint and the last complaint are ·7· ·nothing alike.
·8· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Excuse me.
·9· · · · · · ·MS. KEEN:· They have nothing --
10· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· But, Ms. Keen, you are speaking 11· ·as a member of the public.· Please keep your comments 12· ·to --
13· · · · · · ·MS. KEEN:· As a --
14· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· -- that.
15· · · · · · ·MS. KEEN:· -- member of the public, I don't 16· ·appreciate you interrupting my comment.· As a member of 17· ·the public, I sat and listened to the previous hearing, 18· ·so I can comment as I see fit, but thank you for your 19· ·input.
20· · · · · · ·They are nothing alike, not even kind of. 21· ·They were not the same complaint.· The evidence is not 22· ·the same.· They're not about the same project.· The 23· ·same people, March JPA, owned both plots of land that 24· ·were in question for the two complaints; but the
25· ·complaints were not at all alike, and they're very ·1· ·clearly dictated as not alike.
·2· · · · · · ·So I'm -- I'm truly shocked by what's
·3· ·happening.· Chuck has openly prejudged this
·4· ·non-project.· Just because it has not made its way ·5· ·through planning does not mean that it's not a proposed ·6· ·-- proposed plan.· And he has openly stated the things ·7· ·that are in the complaint.
·8· · · · · · ·I read through the complaint in great detail ·9· ·more than once, because this is in my ward, and I feel 10· ·strongly that this project should not be going in.· He 11· ·has openly prejudged and stated it, fairly aggressively 12· ·in numerous forums, that he will not vote against.· And 13· ·that is the evidence that she has provided.· I'm going 14· ·to just stop there.
15· · · · · · ·I am now going to speak, I am also the vice 16· ·chair of the Board of Ethics.· I have been sitting on 17· ·this board for the last two and three-quarter years. I 18· ·did -- I was up for a second term, but I -- due to my 19· ·work schedule, I had already said that I would not be 20· ·coming back in March.
21· · · · · · ·I've had a lot of concerns about the city 22· ·staff and the city council's ability to take this
23· ·panel, this board seriously and actually see any
24· ·benefit to it.· I don't see that we have been fairly 25· ·effective.· I think very highly of all of us on this ·1· ·panel, but I don't feel like the Board of Ethics has ·2· ·been very effective or the city council has been very ·3· ·open to helping make it more effective.
·4· · · · · · ·And I feel like this prehearing is proof of ·5· ·that, so I'll probably be sending over an early
·6· ·resignation from the Board of Ethics.· I am
·7· ·dumbfounded.
·8· · · · · · ·MR. SHEARER:· Thank you.
·9· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Thank you for your comments. 10· · · · · · ·I think it's either Terry or Jerry Shane. 11· · · · · · ·I can't always read handwriting, so please 12· ·tell me your name.
13· · · · · · ·MR. SHEARER:· I'm Jerry Shearer.
14· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Thank you.
15· · · · · · ·MR. SHEARER:· I -- yeah, I have some of the 16· ·same loss of words.· I'm not usually lost for words, 17· ·but it's hard to understand how this isn't compelling 18· ·enough to have a hearing.· It just doesn't register. 19· · · · · · ·Mr. Conder likes to say words and phrases 20· ·that are misleading at times, and he said there was no 21· ·project.· And that's another code word for saying it's 22· ·a proposal.· A proposal is right.· That is what it is. 23· ·There's a project, Grace Martin sat here and said it at 24· ·the September 6th city council meeting when she
25· ·addressed every single council member into talking ·1· ·about the project.· She used the word project.· It's on ·2· ·video.· It's part of the public record.
·3· · · · · · ·When arguing about it, we've also discussed ·4· ·about this idea that there is a project.· The builder ·5· ·talked to us about a project.· It may be a proposed ·6· ·project, but it is a project, and it has been sitting ·7· ·on the JPA's website since February when I became aware ·8· ·of it.· It has not changed, not one bit.· Though while ·9· ·it might be a proposal, the next step is to become a 10· ·project.· And yes, there is a vote involved.· And yes, 11· ·we do believe that he has predetermined his decision -- 12· ·decision.
13· · · · · · ·We do ask that you look at all the evidence, 14· ·specifically the -- the video evidence that we have 15· ·pointed to.
16· · · · · · ·I think that's all I have to say.· Thank you. 17· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Thank you.
18· · · · · · ·And Jing Linteno (phonetic).
19· · · · · · ·MS. LINTENO:· Good evening.· I just, I -- I'm 20· ·lost for words as to why there is not sufficient
21· ·evidence to have a hearing.· I think out of all the 22· ·reasons, this is one reason that I did not think would 23· ·-- would be the reason why that there would be not a 24· ·hearing.
25· · · · · · ·We have so much evidence of what Council ·1· ·Member Conder has said to the community.· Time after ·2· ·time, he has openly supported the developer about this ·3· ·project.· And he has openly told the community in
·4· ·numerous meetings that this is going to happen, that he ·5· ·will not vote no for this project.· If this does not ·6· ·exist, why would he say those words, which are shown in ·7· ·the video clips that was presented to you?
·8· · · · · · ·I -- I truly think that the evidence was not ·9· ·reviewed thoroughly if this was the decision that you 10· ·all come to.· And I don't think that it is justified, 11· ·and it is not fair for the community that are waiting 12· ·for your decision to see how our community is going to 13· ·be impacted by this so-called nonexistent project, yet 14· ·still moving forward.
15· · · · · · ·Thank you.
16· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Thank you.
17· · · · · · ·The -- are there any more comments?· Are there 18· ·any -- any phone -- anyone on the line?· Two, okay. 19· · · · · · ·Caller, please go forward.
20· · · · · · ·MR. MCCARTHY:· Well, hello again.· I guess my 21· ·baseball analogy didn't quite work.· I -- I asked for 22· ·an umpire who was going to call the balls and strikes 23· ·fairly, and it turns out that we don't even get to 24· ·throw the first pitch in this proceeding.· We -- we 25· ·don't even get to have the starting lineup take the ·1· ·field.
·2· · · · · · ·We are going to have the comment judged by ·3· ·this committee without actually us getting to provide ·4· ·evidence.
·5· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Okay.· I'll make sure.
·6· · · · · · ·MR. MCCARTHY:· And it's extremely
·7· ·disappointing.
·8· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Thank you.
·9· · · · · · ·MR. MCCARTHY:· I -- I'm sorry, is somebody 10· ·talking over me for a reason?
11· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· No.
12· · · · · · ·MR. MCCARTHY:· I -- I -- you know, your
13· ·microphone is on.· I can -- I can hear you.
14· · · · · · ·So I -- I don't know what the other complaint 15· ·is that -- that Council Member Conder was accused of -- 16· ·of being done in the past.· I'm not sure why that would 17· ·have any relevance to the things that we are saying 18· ·that he has done with regards to this project.
19· · · · · · ·That we are not even allowed to give our 20· ·testimony prior to having the complaint thrown out is 21· ·-- it's -- it's mind-boggling.· It's -- it's a
22· ·mind-boggling ethics committee hearing that doesn't 23· ·even allow evidence to be presented prior to making its 24· ·decision.
25· · · · · · ·And, you know, that's -- that -- it says a ·1· ·lot about -- about -- about how this community has been ·2· ·treated throughout this whole process, by the city, by ·3· ·this ethics panel, by the staff of the city, by the ·4· ·March JPA.· It is -- it is the most disempowering
·5· ·public process I could ever have imagined.· I cannot ·6· ·imagine being more cynical with regards to the function ·7· ·of government than I am right now, and it's super
·8· ·disappointing.
·9· · · · · · ·And I -- I really, really had hoped that this 10· ·was going to be a hearing where we had -- had community 11· ·members who would be able to see what we have been 12· ·going through, and apparently not.· Apparently, we're 13· ·not able to communicate what it is.· And so I wish you 14· ·all the best, and I thank you for the service to the 15· ·city; again, but I am dumbfounded, dumbfounded that you 16· ·don't think we have enough evidence to even hear us 17· ·out.· It's extremely disappointing.· And I'm --
18· · · · · · ·Anyway, thank you for your time.
19· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Thank you.
20· · · · · · ·Next caller, please.
21· · · · · · ·MS. DONIEL:· Good evening.· My name is Karen 22· ·Doniel (phonetic), and I'm Ward 1 resident.· I have a 23· ·procedural comment.· A board member cannot change a 24· ·vote once it is cast.
25· · · · · · ·MS. KEEN:· Yeah.
·1· · · · · · ·MS. DONIEL:· Robert's Rules and all
·2· ·parliamentary procedures are clear that once a vote is ·3· ·cast, it is cast, and it can't be changed, particularly ·4· ·once that voting member has heard the votes of other ·5· ·members.
·6· · · · · · ·So I ask that the city attorney state that ·7· ·the original votes stand.· And that was taken tonight ·8· ·before it was changed.· And to not -- not to do that ·9· ·calls into question your entire proceedings today.· So 10· ·I wanted to point that out before you closed your
11· ·hearing.
12· · · · · · ·Thank you very much.
13· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· No, we're not going to address 14· ·it because the final vote had not been taken.
15· · · · · · ·Okay, all right.· So I'm going to -- are 16· ·there any more calls?
17· · · · · · ·Okay.· I am going to close public comment for 18· ·the evening.
19· · · · · · ·Okay.· So the majority of the panel determined 20· ·that the complaint does not comply with all of the 21· ·provisions of prohibited conduct and did not provide 22· ·any evidence for a violation of prohibited conduct and, 23· ·therefore, we ruled that we were not going to go
24· ·forward.
25· · · · · · ·Do we need to take another -- another -- or ·1· ·do we just ask -- need to have -- request that the ·2· ·clerk write it up?
·3· · · · · · ·THE ATTORNEY:· (Indiscernible).
·4· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Okay.· So now we're going to ·5· ·request that the clerk write up our findings and that ·6· ·the findings be presented to the Board of Ethics for a ·7· ·vote of approval at the next regular board meeting. ·8· · · · · · ·MEMBER DE HERRERA:· I have -- I have a
·9· ·question.· Can we further look into what that caller 10· ·just stated on the phone, on whether -- because I -- I 11· ·am more curious about that.
12· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Well --
13· · · · · · ·MEMBER FOREMAN:· I am, as well.· I would like 14· ·to just hear what you had to say about that.
15· · · · · · ·MEMBER DE HERRERA:· Yeah.
16· · · · · · ·MEMBER FOREMAN:· Just for my own --
17· · · · · · ·MEMBER DEMONT:· I am, too.
18· · · · · · ·MEMBER DE HERRERA:· Yeah.
19· · · · · · ·THE ATTORNEY:· And this is in regards to 20· ·changing the vote?
21· · · · · · ·MEMBER FOREMAN:· Yes.
22· · · · · · ·MEMBER DE HERRERA:· Yes.
23· · · · · · ·THE ATTORNEY:· Yeah.· So a member of the board 24· ·can change their vote as long as the vote has not been 25· ·-- has not been confirmed by the entire board.· So if ·1· ·you -- if you -- for example, if you say --
·2· · · · · · ·MS. KEEN:· Is that in writing --
·3· · · · · · ·THE ATTORNEY:· -- no --
·4· · · · · · ·MS. KEEN:· -- somewhere?
·5· · · · · · ·THE ATTORNEY:· -- and then someone else says ·6· ·yes, and -- and it hasn't been confirmed that that vote ·7· ·-- the -- the entire board has voted on it, you can ·8· ·change -- change your vote.
·9· · · · · · ·MS. KEEN:· Where is that in writing?
10· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· But the person stated that the 11· ·vote had already been taken, but the vote had not been 12· ·taken.
13· · · · · · ·MEMBER FOREMAN:· I thought it had been. I 14· ·thought we had all responded yes or no.
15· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· But the vote had not been taken. 16· · · · · · ·MEMBER FOREMAN:· Well, I'm --
17· · · · · · ·MEMBER DE HERRERA:· I --
18· · · · · · ·MEMBER FOREMAN:· -- not sure what the -- 19· · · · · · ·MEMBER DE HERRERA:· I --
20· · · · · · ·MEMBER FOREMAN:· -- difference is.
21· · · · · · ·MEMBER DE HERRERA:· -- believe the vote was -- 22· ·was taken.
23· · · · · · ·THE ATTORNEY:· Yeah, I don't -- I don't recall 24· ·if it was taken or not.
25· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· No.
·1· · · · · · ·THE ATTORNEY:· She informed me --
·2· · · · · · ·MEMBER FOREMAN:· What does --
·3· · · · · · ·THE ATTORNEY:· -- that it was not taken. ·4· · · · · · ·MEMBER FOREMAN:· What --
·5· · · · · · ·THE ATTORNEY:· So --
·6· · · · · · ·MEMBER FOREMAN:· What does it -- what
·7· ·constitutes the vote having been taken?
·8· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· That she gives us the final ·9· ·count, and she hadn't done that yet, which means that 10· ·anybody could still have changed their mind, until she 11· ·gives the final count.
12· · · · · · ·THE ATTORNEY:· Yeah, I'm not exactly sure 13· ·where it says in -- in the code that says you can't 14· ·change your vote.
15· · · · · · ·MS. KEEN:· If it doesn't say you can, then I 16· ·will be (indiscernible).
17· · · · · · ·THE ATTORNEY:· But until the vote is final -- 18· · · · · · ·MEMBER HUERTA:· Chair --
19· · · · · · ·THE ATTORNEY:· Oh, go ahead.
20· · · · · · ·MEMBER HUERTA:· Chair.
21· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Yes, thank you.
22· · · · · · ·MEMBER HUERTA:· I would make a motion that we 23· ·revote that -- that motion.
24· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Okay, all right.
25· · · · · · ·MS. KEEN:· What?
·1· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Does anybody second that
·2· ·motion?
·3· · · · · · ·MEMBER DE HERRERA:· I second that motion of ·4· ·revoting.
·5· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Okay.
·6· · · · · · ·MEMBER FOREMAN:· Is this even --
·7· · · · · · ·MS. MENDEZ:· Are you guys allowed to do this? ·8· · · · · · ·MEMBER FOREMAN:· Are we allowed to do that, ·9· ·Mr. Attorney?
10· · · · · · ·THE ATTORNEY:· If you guys are -- I mean, is 11· ·-- is -- are you guys saying that you're challenging 12· ·the past vote, or you guys just want to -- to affirm 13· ·the vote that you --
14· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Right.
15· · · · · · ·THE ATTORNEY:· -- that you previously
16· ·confirmed?
17· · · · · · ·MS. KEEN:· Oh, my God.· Oh, my God.
18· · · · · · ·MEMBER HUERTA:· Well, my motion would be that 19· ·we --
20· · · · · · ·MS. KEEN:· (Indiscernible).
21· · · · · · ·MEMBER HUERTA:· -- revote to confirm the vote 22· ·that we had previously taken so that it is clear what 23· ·each of the panel members' feelings, votes, philosophy 24· ·is.
25· · · · · · ·THE ATTORNEY:· I -- I -- I think the vote was ·1· ·-- was taken and recorded.· I don't think that another ·2· ·vote is required to confirm a previous vote.· I think ·3· ·you can state it for the --
·4· · · · · · ·MEMBER HUERTA:· Then I'll --
·5· · · · · · ·THE ATTORNEY:· -- record what -- what you ·6· ·vote.
·7· · · · · · ·MEMBER HUERTA:· -- withdraw my -- I'll
·8· ·withdraw my motion.
·9· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Okay.
10· · · · · · ·THE ATTORNEY:· Yeah.
11· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Thank you, Gloria.
12· · · · · · ·I think it's just a little --
13· · · · · · ·MS. HUERTA:· I -- I --
14· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· -- too confusing.
15· · · · · · ·MEMBER HUERTA:· -- would like to comment, 16· ·though, if there's -- if it's time to comment.
17· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Yeah, you can comment.
18· · · · · · ·MEMBER HUERTA:· I -- I -- I don't think we 19· ·didn't hear those individuals.· And I think some of us 20· ·may have similar thoughts or feelings or fears, but we 21· ·are bound by what is in the ordinance.
22· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Yeah.
23· · · · · · ·MEMBER HUERTA:· And section M is very clear 24· ·that it's not that if a city council member says
25· ·something we don't like or we disagree with or we feel ·1· ·they're biased or that they've prejudged something; ·2· ·it's very clear that there has to be a violation of a ·3· ·law, an ordinance, a code.· And I -- I just -- I just ·4· ·didn't see that in what was presented in all the
·5· ·evidence.
·6· · · · · · ·And yes, I looked at your evidence.· And yes, ·7· ·I -- I felt very strongly that there were some comments ·8· ·made that probably were not in anyone's best interest ·9· ·to make if they felt that way and definitely would make 10· ·me be as concerned as the individuals in the audience 11· ·are tonight; but I just didn't have, after reading 12· ·everything and listening to everything, I did not feel 13· ·like it rose to a level of violation of M.
14· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Thank you, Gloria.
15· · · · · · ·I -- I'd like to say something.· I feel the 16· ·same way.· I read all the evidence.· I researched all 17· ·the caselaw.· I did everything, and I still did not 18· ·find any evidence presented that suggested there was a 19· ·violation of M.
20· · · · · · ·And while we might not like behavior, you 21· ·know we have to go by a code, we have to go by what our 22· ·ordinance tells us to go by, and that's what we have -- 23· ·we're bound to do.· But I did read all of the evidence, 24· ·and I do understand how everyone feels; but again, we 25· ·are bound by our ordinance.
·1· · · · · · ·MS. LARRATT-SMITH:· Caselaw it is state law. ·2· ·If you violate caselaw, you violated the state law. ·3· ·That's -- that's what my argument is.· Caselaw is state ·4· ·law.
·5· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Well --
·6· · · · · · ·MS. LARRATT-SMITH:· Precedent is --
·7· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Yeah.
·8· · · · · · ·MS. LARRATT-SMITH:· -- state law.
·9· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· And okay.
10· · · · · · ·MS. LARRATT-SMITH:· He's violated precedent -- 11· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Okay.
12· · · · · · ·MS. LARRATT-SMITH:· -- in the city of
13· ·California --
14· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Okay.
15· · · · · · ·MS. LARRATT-SMITH:· -- in the State of -- 16· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Just a second.
17· · · · · · ·MS. LARRATT-SMITH:· -- California.
18· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Okay, okay.· I have to skip -- 19· ·wait a minute.· Okay.
20· · · · · · ·MS. LARRATT-SMITH:· I feel like you're not 21· ·understanding my arguments.
22· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· We are not taking comments from 23· ·the audience at this time.
24· · · · · · ·MS. LARRATT-SMITH:· Well, no, we're not -- 25· · · · · · ·MS. KEEN:· You interrupted public comment -- ·1· · · · · · ·MS. LARRATT-SMITH:· -- giving you a comment. ·2· · · · · · ·MS. KEEN:· -- so we're interrupting you. ·3· · · · · · ·MS. LARRATT-SMITH:· We're just talking among ·4· ·ourselves.
·5· · · · · · ·MS. KEEN:· My public comment was interrupted, ·6· ·and that's just what happened, so now it's eye for an ·7· ·eye, and we're all good.
·8· · · · · · ·MEMBER FOREMAN:· My -- my comment is I would ·9· ·have like to have heard -- had a hearing to hear more 10· ·evidence to explore this deeper, but I was outvoted. 11· ·So --
12· · · · · · ·MS. MENDEZ:· We just wanted an opportunity to 13· ·do that.
14· · · · · · ·MS. LARRATT-SMITH:· We just wanted to be 15· ·heard and to make our case.
16· · · · · · ·MS. MENDEZ:· And if by that time you guys -- 17· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Okay.
18· · · · · · ·MS. MENDEZ: -- (indiscernible).
19· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· So, city clerk, you have been 20· ·instructed to prepare the final statement.· Please do 21· ·so.
22· · · · · · ·THE CLERK:· Okay.
23· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· And I'm going to close the 24· ·meeting at this time.
25· · · · · · ·MS. ARSEO:· Chair Foley, I have --
·1· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Yes.
·2· · · · · · ·MS. ARSEO:· -- a question.
·3· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Sure.
·4· · · · · · ·MS. ARSEO:· Could you please state the
·5· ·deficiencies for the record?
·6· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· Yes.· I had stated them earlier, ·7· ·that there was no evidence presented of any violations ·8· ·of M, subsection M.
·9· · · · · · ·MS. ARSEO:· Thank you very much for the
10· ·clarification.
11· · · · · · ·CHAIR FOLEY:· So I think -- so the meeting is 12· ·now closed and adjourned.· Thank you, everyone.
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·1· ·STATE OF WASHINGTON)
· · · · · · · · · · · · ) SS
·2· ·COUNTY OF WHATCOM· )
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·5· · · · · · · · · I, CHRISTINE AIELLO, do hereby certify ·6· ·that I transcribed the audio, and that the foregoing is ·7· ·a true and complete transcription of the audio
·8· ·transcribed under my personal direction.
·9· · · · · · · · · IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I do hereunto set my 10· ·hand at Blaine, Washington, this 30th day of October, 11· ·2022.
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16· · · · · · · · · · · · · ·____________________________ 17· · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · Christine Aiello
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