Passing the Buck and Rubberstamping at the Parks and Recreation Commission Yesterday

Parks and Recreation met yesterday 9-9 at 4 PM at City Hall.

I wasn't there and got only a second hand partial report, and most of this account is based on my review of their agenda and its summary. Their summary is available on line atg http://scsire.cityofsantacruz.com/sirepub_com/mtgviewer.aspx?meetid=1151&doctype=SUMMARY

STULTIFYING SILENCE ON CURFEW AND BATHROOMS
Don't know if anyone went there to tell them No to the Curfew & Open the bathrooms (city-wide at night, to all at Louden Nelson). Rabbi Phil Posner did pass out a flyer that he intends to give out to City Council tonight and reported there was a substantial audience.

Neither the Curfew nor the Bathrooms were on their agenda though the Curfew is the sole issue on City Council's evening agenda tonight.

Instead,we saw what looks like a P&R staff rush to rubberstamp the Council staff's agenda-stuffing De La Vega Golf Course and the Harvey West Pool items coming up today at City Council. Convenient for Mayor Watkin's excuse that her "stuffed" agenda has "no time" for the progressive proposals, delayed since January when they were originally proposed.

At last report that Center is continuing its demeaning, restrictive, and health-damaging policies of closing bathrooms to all but patrons attending scheduled events. They did open them up for the day when activists protested last Tuesday--see "0:04 / 34:53
Open the Louden Nelson Community Center Bathrooms! in Santa Cruz, CA" at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HH6WF4iXnhY . But then reportedly reverted to its gated "no poopers for the poor" policy on the days that followed.

PROGRESSIVE ADVICE IGNORED
Vice-Mayor Cummings requested Supervisor Iseth Rae be reasonable and humane at the meeting where Council deferred any reopening action pending a report from the CACH Committee. Rae then insisted exceptions to her "pee down the street" rules were "too challenging to the staff."

The advisory P & R Commission is allowing itself to be "managed" by its staff, in a fashion similar to that of the CACH Commission and City Council itself.

Apparently there's no need to talk with City Council or its advisory bodies. Just shoot an e-mail to City Manager Martin Bernal.

To sign up for future Direct Actions to fight this shadow dictatorship contact me at rnorse3 [at] hotmail.com or come to the Conscience & Action meetings 11 AM at 703 Pacific.