Minutes 1996 0116 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

• Minutes - San Leandro City Council Meeting - January 16, 1996 Page - 17 - CITY COUNCIL COMMENTS (continued) B. Council Member Myers thanked Vice Mayor Kerr for apologizing. He said, over the past few weeks comments have been made about the City Manager working with the City Council and the Council working with the Mayor. He said San Leandro has an enviable financial position not found in any other city. The Council has told the City Manager to carry out projects. He said the Council must look out for the whole City and majority of citizens rather than just a handful. He said the Council is firm about what they do not want to do. He said the comments made by Vice Mayor Kerr in the newspaper article about the City Council and City Manager were not appropriate or correct. He said Vice Mayor Kerr was chosen by the City Council to serve as Vice Mayor and, as such, must represent the majority of the citizens and the whole City Council. He said the Council has good rapport with the City Manager and Mayor. There are ten people out there saying the Council is being manipulated. C. Vice Mayor Kerr said he spoke as an individual, not as Vice Mayor or representing the Council. D. Council Member Loeffler said his initial response to the article was deep disappointment. He said Council meetings are where issues are aired and reviewed. The Council has been very progressive. The community sometimes loses sight of the fact that the Council sits down with the City Manager and establishes goals, and he determines the appropriate process to carry them out. He said the media is a way to relate to the community, but the message must be balanced, and that was not done in the article in the Times. He encouraged the Council to use the Council meeting forum to share feelings, thoughts, and suggestions. He noted the City Manager has an open door. Council Member Loeffler said some of the most positive comments he heard regarding the ice rink were from children. He commended staff for including students who have never had this experience. He said the City does not necessarily earn money from baseball, tennis, etc., but those activities provide a service to the community. He said he hopes for more lead time in the future. Council Member Loeffler noted there is still a lot of jaywalking, and he is concerned someone may lose their life. E. Council Member Polvorosa spoke regarding the San Leandro Times article. He said this is a good example of things being misconstrued and taken out of context. He accepted Vice Mayor Kerr's apology. He said he doesn't find fault with the format the Council has but finds fault with going to the press. He said the newspapers should take note of comments like Mrs. Hague's, instead of negative groups trying to disrupt what has been accomplished. He said he is proactive not reactive. He said he gives Vice Mayor Kerr the benefit of the doubt. He said differences should be aired at Council meetings.