Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Walnut Creek City Council Passes Resolution
The Walnut Creek City Council unanimously passed a resolution last night requesting the County Committee on School District Organization to hear the petition to transfer the Northgate feeder pattern schools out of the Mt. Diablo District. The transfer includes Bancroft, Valle Verde, Walnut Acres, Eagle Peak, Foothill and Northgate. The City Council, as a governing body, has always had the ability to request a hearing from the County Committee. After the petition, which was signed by over 3,200 Walnut Creek residents, was deemed invalid due to a technicality on a county map regarding 7 parcels of land, the City Council decided to step in and have the will of their constituents heard. The next step will be for the County Committee to schedule a hearing date.
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9 comments:
The City Council did the right thing last night. It showed courage to speak out by passing this resolution. I applaud and thank them.
I agree with anonymous above. It took some gumption for Mayor Regalia to take a stand, and she wasn't easy on the County with her wording, either. Thank you Mayor Reglaia and Council Members.
Technically, it was 4 yes with one absent - that is not unanimous.
I have no doubt that Councilwoman Rainey would have voted Aye, so keep counting your beans... It was unanimous
Even if Councilwoman Rainey sat, it doesn't change the magnitude of the event or the final result.
WC City Council violated the Political Reform Act when the two members voted on this item. Skrel, Rainey, and Abrams all own property in the Northgate area of Walnut Creek.
California Government Code
87100. No public official at any level of state or local government shall make, participate in making or in any way attempt to use his officialposition to influence a governmental decision in which he knows or has reason to know he has a financial interest.
If you use this logic than everything the City Council does in the name of positive change for Walnut Creek could be considered a financial interest with respect to home values.
If enforcing the code is your motive you should be more concerned with Mr. Strange's vote against the transfer on January 8.
The sad aspect regarding the suggested conflict of interest is that moving the NG schools to the WC SD should have such an impact on property values. It doesn't have to be that way, except for the condition of MDUSD. When we moved to NG, there wasn't such a differential. But in the last 15 years, MDUSD has deteriorated so far that people now suggest that property values are the motivation.
The City did violate the law. They'll receive a fine for it, too.
There is a provision in the law for such circumstances, and the Council didn't follow it. Advice from an attorney is not a defense, either.
There's something else that will come out, but we'll all just have to wait.....
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