The Sunnyvale Sun

News

Commission probe report re-posted on city website

By Cody Kraatz

A city report on the conduct of the Housing and Human Services Commission will be re-posted to the city's website, the Sunnyvale City Council unanimously decided on Nov. 27.

Patrick Meyering, a commissioner who lost to Councilwoman Melinda Hamilton in the Nov. 6 election, called for his and commissioner Micki Falk's name to be deleted from the report, which he called flawed, unbalanced and vindictive.

"I think we should hold our board and commission representatives as accountable as we are," said Hamilton, explaining her motion to post the report online as is.

The report summarizes an investigation the two commissioners called for because the commission and city staff were not conducting meetings according to state law.

In fact, the city found numerous violations of the Brown Act, which governs public meetings in California, including secret balloting for chair and vice chair, the denial of public comment and the absence of agendas and information packets at meetings.

These "misunderstandings, misinterpretations and miscommunications" were unintentional and call for more training, not reprimands, according to the report.

However, the report is less forgiving of Meyering and Falk, blaming them for a "dysfunctional" environment and "shaky interpersonal relationships" on the commission. Other commissioners say they are "unreasonably contentious and disruptive," according to the report.

Chilling

Some said publicizing the report may have a chilling effect.

"When our ability to speak out becomes eroded, so does our ability to participate in our government," said resident Bill Donnelly.

Commissioner Mark Johnson, who voted with Meyering and Falk on the public comment issue, said, "I don't think that's something that's for public consumption."

In the future, the city will keep minor administrative investigations such as this as private as the law allows to protect privacy.