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Cameron Park Community Services District has an active, small group of critical observers at its monthly meetings.
One frequently brings a protest sign. Another has been known to pound the podium. None rises to the level of “domestic terrorism” as claimed by board member Alan Clarke. Clarke, by the way, once accosted one of our reporters in the men’s room, but we wouldn’t call that domestic terrorism, just incredibly bad manners.
While it is reasonable for the board to limit public forum comments to three minutes, as many agencies do, it is just plain unconstitutional to outlaw signs. And it is completely silly for board members to get up and walk out only because they don’t like somebody’s sign. That is only going to encourage more signs.
For each action item the chairman should call for public comment before the board votes. If the board members wants respect, remember it is a two-way street.
To get anyone to show up for a community services district board meeting other than the press is unusual. The board ought to look for ways to put this energy to use for the district. Instead of arguing with the audience and looking for ways to shut them up, the board members should appoint some to a committee, such as budget oversight or a specific project. Working together instead of battling each other is more productive. The audience members, like the board members, have the best interests of the district at heart.
Calling in a sheriff’s deputy just to monitor the usual cadre of interested audience members is overkill. It’s time to lighten up. And anyone who speaks during the public forum should refrain from cussing and podium pounding and lighten up as well.
The general manager commented, our reporter wrote, that “it was often difficult to weigh the input from community members.” So, if the “input” is so hard to weigh, have a meeting with the audience dissidents. Find out what’s bugging them. Hear them out. Try and reach a modus vivendi on free speech and meeting manners. They are not the enemy. They are district supporters who some on the board have attempted to marginalize.
Congratulations on an incredibly sane commentary and enlightened proposal.
As one of the “active, small group of critical observers” at the Cameron Park CSD meetings, and probably being the person who pounds the podium, I welcome your criticism. I have sent a letter to the full board apologizing for my impertinent behavior at the August meeting. I was angered by the presence of the deputy sheriff at this months meeting. I lost my composure when I was stonewalled by the General Manager and Board members when I asked who authorized the deputy to be in attendance. I am still furious at the ham handed attempt on the part of the General Manager and certain board members to intimidate and silence critics but I too recognize the need to lighten up and have asked friends to pull my coat tails if they see me starting to get excited. Thank you again for this good advise.
Mike, thank you for the editorial on the CPCSD. I disagree with only one point. Clarke did indeed “accost one of your reporters in the mens room” at the CSD. . . I was right there that night, and I do not call it “incredibly bad manners”, I call it out and out in-your-face cornering and bullying of your reporter, and if it had been me instead of your reporter, who is a good guy, Mr. Clarke would have been trying to figure out how to eat corn with no front teeth. . . . it was duly noted to me by the reporter that “mr. Clarke had the worst breath of any person he ever met” after Clarke “put his face right in the reporter’s face and “appeared to be preparing to poke” the reporter “in the neck.” And that is the rest of the story. . . . I still wonder what Clarke was doing in there in the first place when it was clearly marked “MENS” room.
Riordan- extraordinary talent for making a bad situation worse.
Jim I feel sorry for you that you need to go back so many years and to not even witness the situation mentioned in you response. Nor do you know the circumstances that were happening at that time. My choice is to move ahead and deal with the current issues affecting our community.
You do not recall me walking in? And I do remember the “cicumstances” and can understand why you wish to forget them. So your motto for “moving on” must be “Onward and Downward”??
Alan Clarke, what nerve you have to chastise Jim Riordan for going back in time and mentioning the crap you pull with people. How far back are the incidents you used to justify having an officer at the August 15th meeting Mr. Clarke? For the record, this officer cost the CSD $75.00 an hour times 6. You brought up an issue that happened over 3 years ago, and others from a year or so back. The only people showing aggression and anger are you and your partner McNeil. You have made the statement to people that your want the Community Center to be your legacy. Yeah some legacy sir, this center is draining the budget dry to the tune of $200,000 this fiscal year alone. Why don’t you start telling the truth to the taxpayers on how we don’t have the funds to maintain this building or better yet how you allow you general manager to steal the funds that the fire department saves to balance the budget year after year. Why don’t you tell the truth to the residents how we cannot put funds away for new fire engines or capitol improvement and maintenance? There are some who call us malcontents, well that just is not the truth. We are trying to educate the people in Cameron Park to the truth. The CSD is in financial trouble but they don’t want anyone to know about it. They have a major cash flow problem and they ignore it. Alan you are not truthful, you only worry about your image.