HomeMy WebLinkAbout08-04-2021_Open Session_Items 4, 5, & 11_also General Comments_Brown, HardyHardy Brown a 6 ward resident and NAACP Legal Redress Committee Chairman 8/4/21 publiccomments@bscity.org Genoveva Rocha Kimberly Calvin Mayor and council; I know you have a full agenda tonight and I want to speak to a few of them and comment on things not on the agenda. Agenda item 4 is the American Rescue Plan Funds expenditures. The projects identified in the staff report are very good and much needed and will improve the quality of life for those communities and will improve the quality of life for the city as a whole. My concern is with who will participate in doing the work and getting paid. We need to partner with our local school district, Valley College and workforce development office to insure local citizens get employed as contractors, interns in the trades as carpenters, electricians, painters, roofers, landscapers and others, so they will have a skill and keep some of the money locally. In that process hopefully some will start their own small business in the city. That brings me to agenda 11 on the new Diversity, Equity and Inclusion position that I am in full agreement with. The individual who will occupy this position should help the staff in identifying these kinds of opportunities for community and diversity inclusion before it is brought before the council. I am in support of you adopting a policy for censuring elected officials as stated in agenda item 5, especially this mayor, John Valdivia. He currently has four lawsuits against him by name and three against the city caused by him. Mayor Valdivia is a total embarrassment to the office of mayor and the city with these lawsuits costing the city money plus a negative image. He is abusive to his colleges and staff, especially women. In all of my 30 years investigating complaints of Sexual Harassment, in my professional career, I have never encountered one man having this many women filing charges and complaints against them. Switching to issues not on the agenda, thanks for taking action on the old Lagendorf Building on Medical Center Drive. Have you started looking into putting paid “Public Notices Advertising in the minority owned newspapers? Have you begun looking into the issue of Nepotism in the police department? What are you doing about the open Police Chief position? What is the status of the Quinn Bass police abuse compliant against the city? What is the status of the Rental Assistance Program, are our citizens getting relief? I want to give my high praises for the city clerk for she is doing a fantastic job as city clerk. Thank you Hardy Brown.