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Mayor Robinson Gives Summary of Her Year's Meetings, No Word Yet on Future Appearances
Last December, I requested Mayor Robinson itemize her meetings with lobbyists, upcoming public appearances, and also provide an interview for Free Radio Santa Cruz. She ignored this request (not even dignifying it with a response) until I followed up on August 1 with a formal Public Records Act request. See "Mayor Robinson Still Refuses Transparency, Won't Reveal Appointments, Public Appearances" at https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2014/08/05/18759617.php . Today I did receive an e-mail response which partially responded that request (which requires a response or denial within 10 days). I reprint it below.
This listing supposedly includes all meetings with lobbyists or individuals having anything to do with Council business. She has not yet provided a schedule of her proposed upcoming public meetings, nor agreed to an interview. Still the providing of a schedule is a positive move which I thank her for. One should not however have to wait many months before getting this information.
The enclosed listing does note at the very end of the document that "personal appointments and social events not associated with the Mayor's office are not included in this calendar." I would also encourage the public to scrutinize this list to see if they think it is accurate and complete.
At this point Robinson has still declined to restore the right to independently record City Council meetings. I have yet to receive her assurance that my machines will not be confiscated blocking such recording as her sergeant-at-arms has done for the last two meetings.
I shall be shortly sending a demand letter to Robinson (via a volunteer attorney) demanding she restore that right and advise the community she will not be penalizing, censoring, or humiliating anyone else seeking to make their own recording of a city council meeting--even if they don't stand or sit by their machine throughout the proceeding.
The enclosed listing does note at the very end of the document that "personal appointments and social events not associated with the Mayor's office are not included in this calendar." I would also encourage the public to scrutinize this list to see if they think it is accurate and complete.
At this point Robinson has still declined to restore the right to independently record City Council meetings. I have yet to receive her assurance that my machines will not be confiscated blocking such recording as her sergeant-at-arms has done for the last two meetings.
I shall be shortly sending a demand letter to Robinson (via a volunteer attorney) demanding she restore that right and advise the community she will not be penalizing, censoring, or humiliating anyone else seeking to make their own recording of a city council meeting--even if they don't stand or sit by their machine throughout the proceeding.
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There has been no denial of Robert's right to record council meetings. Rather, there has been a denial to allow him to leave his recorder unattended, in whatever location he chooses.
Keep It Real. He can record anytime he likes, as long as he hangs onto his recorder. Don't confuse an actual banning with this petulant response.
Keep It Real. He can record anytime he likes, as long as he hangs onto his recorder. Don't confuse an actual banning with this petulant response.
City Council and Mayor Robinson have nowhere clarified any need to require a reporter to sit next to a recording device throughout the meeting. Moreover doing so at near the podium is both uncomfortable and somewhat embarrassing--as I and other members of the public were "required" to do last meeting. When I left the recorder to do business outside, my machine was confiscated. This is definitely a ban on recording.
This absurd action by the Mayor prevents reporters from interviewing others during the meeting, going out for a bathroom break, consulting the agenda, and freely moving about the room as others are allowed to do. It is also unprecedented in terms of any other legislative body that I've heard about.
Banning the reporter from the meeting and making a false arrest on this issue is even more repressive and violates both the Brown Act and the First Amendment.
This absurd action by the Mayor prevents reporters from interviewing others during the meeting, going out for a bathroom break, consulting the agenda, and freely moving about the room as others are allowed to do. It is also unprecedented in terms of any other legislative body that I've heard about.
Banning the reporter from the meeting and making a false arrest on this issue is even more repressive and violates both the Brown Act and the First Amendment.
One of my sentences above is slightly garbled. Sorry for any confusion.
"Moreover doing so at an audible spot near the podium is both uncomfortable and somewhat embarrassing--as I and other members of the public were "required" to do last meeting."
"Moreover doing so at an audible spot near the podium is both uncomfortable and somewhat embarrassing--as I and other members of the public were "required" to do last meeting."
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