The Brown Act states that "Every agenda for regular meetings shall provide an opportunity for members of the public to directly address the legislative body on any item of interest to the public, BEFORE OR DURING the legislative body's consideration of the item, .....".
However. in Glendale, from April 21, 2009 through today (September 6th) and counting, Mayor Frank Quintero has eliminated the "OR DURING" from the public's right to address the Glendale City Council. Unless a Speaker Card is turned in BEFORE consideration of the item commences, no member of the public is allowed to address the council on that agenda item, regardless of what previously unknown details are revealed in the presentations.
During this 4 1/2 month period, not a single one of Glendale's other council members (John Drayman, Laura Friedman, Ara Najarian and Dave Weaver) has expressed any concern about this Quintero anti-public-input policy, which also has not been questioned by City Attorney Scott Howard or Senior Assistant City Attorney Michael Garcia, both of who have presided at subsequent council meetings.
Unless California Attorney General Edmund G. Brown Jr., or Los Angeles County District Attorney Steve Cooley intercede, a precedent has been set which can be adopted by every legislative body in the state of California!
