agenda city of watsonville city council/redevelopment agency meeting

CITY COUNCIL 8.1 (a)
City of Watsonville
City Attorney’s Office
M E M O R A N D U M
DATE: June 9, 2011
TO:
FROM:
SUBJECT:
City Council
Ad Hoc Ethics Committee
Code of Ethics Investigation Report Regarding Mayor Dodge,
Council Member Bersamin, and Library Board Trustee Rivas
AGENDA ITEM: June 14, 2011 City Council
DISCUSSION:
Councilmember Martinez filed three separate ethics complaints. One on April 29, 2011, a
second on May 2, 2011 and a third on May 3, 2011. All three are for conduct which occurred
during Council meetings.
The first is against Mayor Dodge for statements he made during the April 26, Council meeting
after Gabriel Gonzalez spoke during “Comments from the Public.” Mr. Martinez filed the
second complaint on May 2 against Antonio Rivas for calling Mr. Martinez a coward during the
March 22 City Council meeting and because Mr. Martinez says Mr. Rivas has a history of
acting uncivilly (sic) and being rude to the public. Mr. Martinez filed a third complaint against
Councilmember Bersamin based on a March 24 letter from Nick Bulaich alleging
Councilmember Bersamin “used students" to make a rhetorical point during the March 22
Council meeting.
The Committee requested transcripts of the words spoken at each of the three meetings and
received transcripts. Copies of the transcripts and the complaints are attached to this staff
report. The Committee then met to consider the transcripts and determine whether the words
spoken and the context in which the words were spoken violated any one or more provisions of
the Code of Ethics.
The Mayor's statements after Mr. Gonzalez spoke on April 26 were perhaps not well chosen.
The Committee recommends a resolution of Admonition regarding the Respect Clause of the
Code of Ethics encouraging the Mayor and the entire Council to, as Councilmember Hurst
says, “disagree without being disagreeable.”
Writer’s name 6/9/2011 7:45:07 PM
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