Blue Ribbon Committee on Governance Structure
It didn't take City Hall very long to publish some documents on the Blue Ribbon Committee on Governance Structure. This is the committe...
http://www.menifee247.com/2009/02/blue-ribbon-committee-on-governance.htm
It didn't take City Hall very long to publish some documents on the Blue Ribbon Committee on Governance Structure. This is the committee that will decide how the city will govern itself in the future, and among other things, decide if the results of Measure G should be thrown out.
The application to become a committee member can be downloaded from the City's website at this link...
http://www.cityofmenifee.us/press/20090204_Blue_Ribbon.pdf
Here's the city's official announcement of the Blue Ribbon Committee...
And here is the city's guidelines on who can apply, and how they pick committee members...
The application to become a committee member can be downloaded from the City's website at this link...
http://www.cityofmenifee.us/press/20090204_Blue_Ribbon.pdf
Here's the city's official announcement of the Blue Ribbon Committee...
City Council announces release of Committee Applications for formation of Blue Ribbon Committee on governance structure for City
The City of Menifee announced that a Blue Ribbon Committee will be formed to provide input to the City Council by reviewing, researching and discussing the options of governance for the future of the City of Menifee. This committee will be comprised of nine residents of the city. The applications will be accepted through February 20th and the committee will begin to meet in Mid March.
Those interested in submitting an application for this committee should contact City Hall at 951-672-6777 or go on the City’s website at www.cityofmenifee.us to download the committee application and further description of the committee structure and purpose.
And here is the city's guidelines on who can apply, and how they pick committee members...
If you are considering applying for a position on the Blue Ribbon Committee on Governance Structure of the City of Menifee please see the following information regarding the purpose and set up of the committee.
Purpose: To provide input to the City Council by reviewing, researching and discussing the options of governance for the future of the City of Menifee.
Committee Members: The committee will be comprised of nine residents of the city. Any resident at least 18 years of age may submit an application.
Committee Selection Process: Following the application deadline the Ad Hoc Committee, along with the City Manager or designated representative will meet and review the applications and select nine members to serve on the committee. Applicants may be interviewed either in person or by telephone.
Committee Duties/Functions: The committee members will select among themselves a Chair, Vice-chair and a secretary. All meetings will be subject to Brown Act requirements and will be properly noticed. Members will conduct themselves in accordance with all City policies.
Public Participation: Committee members will be required to attend numerous meetings. All meetings will be open to the public. Public input is encouraged and there will be opportunities throughout the committee process for public participation.
Timeframes:
Application process – Feb. 9 and closes Feb. 20
Selection process – Ad Hoc Committee meets to review applications and conducts interviews Feb. 21 – Feb. 27
City Council ratifies appointments – March 3
Committee Schedule –beginning Mid-March and ending prior the City Council meeting on May 19.
The committee should target at least 8 meetings and may meet on a weekly basis.
Please submit your application to Kathy Bennett at the City. The application may be faxed to 951-679-3843 or emailed to kbennett@cityofmenifee.us. You may call City Hall with questions or clarifications if necessary. Thank you for your interest in the City and this important matter.
This is such a sham! Darcy Kuenzi and Fred Tywman get to pick 9 people to decide the fate of something we have already voted on. Of course they are going to pick people that side with them. Why don't we just save the money and let Kuenzi have her way? It looks like she is going to do what SHE wants to no matter what, despite what the voters want. This is horrible representation.
ReplyDeleteWhy bother to vote if the results are just going to overturned by higher-up people(city council members in this case) that don't like the outcome.
I support the establishment of a Blue Ribbon Commission to look at the pros and cons of District v. At Large. The four council members showed courage to face down a political pressure group that consists of many No Cityhood supporters and leaders. This group no more speak for the community than they did when the No Cityhood was defeated by a landslide (nearly 62% yes and 38% no).
ReplyDeleteLets have a comprehensive study of how we shall elect our council members. I personally don't like the idea that I can only vote for one council member and do not have a say on the other four.
GET RID OF THE OLD SUN CITY CRY BABIES! They were the ones who were against city hood as a whole...
ReplyDeleteTo February 05, 2009 8:32 PM,
ReplyDeleteI personally don't like having Darci Kuenzi as a Council Member, so should we have a Committee to see who does?
To anonymous Feb 5, 8:32pm,
ReplyDeleteYou are missing the point, the four council members did not show any courage, because there was no controversy until the council made it one. All the people are saying is just because the vote did not go the way they wanted it to does not give the council the right to change it, especially at a cost to us. There was no public outcry, just one person came forward and of course the council members! When I say people its not just the Sun City no on cityhood people either. I do not live in Sun City and I am very much for cityhood, I also voted for at large. But I'm very much against what the council is doing because it totally ignores the election results. I may not like the results of any given election but too bad, I have to live with it. So should they. The mayor is the only one who showed real courage. Despite being the only one he did the right thing.
To the Anonymous blogger posting at 12:13 on 2/6/09,
ReplyDeleteI didn't miss the point. The actions of 4 persons advocating for Districts were out of line. They wagged their fingers, taunted the city council members, threaten them with recall if the council proceeded to adopt a blue ribbon commission. If you were at the City Council meeting, you would have been embrassed at the actions of these individuals. Their antics have been their modus operandi on other issues as well. They were the same ones that spearheaded the "No Cityhood" efforts that went into flames on June 3, 2008 by a 62% to 38% margin. These four inviduals, of course, should be able to pursue their points at any council meeting without continuously threatening the City Council.
This is like the bad HOA meetings. Same ole whackos show up because they like to hear themselves talk. Geesh. Put a sock in it. Wait til next election. Has anyone had their district be neglected?
ReplyDeleteThe idea to consider re-voting this issue did not come from a groundswell of voter dissatisfaction. It appears to have come about from members of the City Council.
ReplyDeleteI can understand their motivation: district boundaries likely will result in some council members living in the same jurisdiction, meaning only one could possibly survive a future election. I’d probably want a re-vote, too, if my job was threatened the way some of theirs might be.
I believe the Blue Ribbon Committee is nothing more than a smoke screen to lend legitimacy to the re-vote idea.
Keep in mind that the council will not be bound by any input from the committee. Even if the committee says “don’t re-vote”, I expect the council will override that advice and put the measure on the ballot. A “don’t re-vote” recommendation is unlikely, however, since the people who will sit on the committee will be selected largely by council members who have already indicated they want a re-vote.
Stop blaming the poor folks who fought Cityhood. They are not trying to get cityhood on the ballot again. They are out there fighting your battle (the vote) Why would you allow 38% of the voters to be disenfranchised because Darcy Kuenzi does not want districts. Wake up folks this is just the first step in the distruction of democracy as we know it.
ReplyDeleteIf I were responsible for interviewing people for the Blue Ribbon Panel, I would leave any questions regarding personal views about re-voting or not out of the equation. I would ask questions of the applicants that would show signs of whether or not they can conduct impartial research, no matter what their personal views are.
ReplyDeleteSomething for the council to keep in mind when they start interviewing for the panel.
Sorry Steve but there is no application to download on the Menifee City website. City Council has fed the public misinformation again. Check this out Darcy refused to answer the question at the city council meeting if this was a partison committee and why they were not re-view at large? First of she does not have the legal right as an elected offical not to answer to the public and second the council does not have the legal right to use public funds to campaign for a re-vote. They are breaking the law and each one can be held financily responseable.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous @2:34 -
ReplyDeleteDid you click on the link Steve posted at the beginning of the article? It links directly to the application. It's a 3 page document in .PDF format. Page 1 contains the official press release, page 2 contains the guidlines and page 3 is the application itself.
I just clicked on it and confirmed it is there. If for some reason the link isn't working for you, try going to the city website (www.cityofmenifee.us), scroll to the bottom of the main page and click on the link that says "Blue Ribon Panel". That link will take you to the "Press Releases" page of the site. The one you want is the one from February 2nd.
I think that the city council had better get themselves an other lawyer cause they don't seem to be getting the information that it is against the law for the city council to use public funds to campaign to put something on the ballot and that is just what they are doing. Guess what if it goes to court each one of them who approved this blue ribbon/consulting firm can and will be held personaly responseable for paying back any money they used. They belong to the league of Cities but looks to me that they never read the laws regarding (General Law Cities) And that is what we are. So looks like the four Council persons will hang themselves in the end.
ReplyDeleteOh, I forgot to mention that you may need to download the Adobe Acrobat Reader software in order to view the application.
ReplyDelete"Wake up folks this is just the first step in the distruction of democracy as we know it."
ReplyDeleteWow, the Meniffee city council starting the destruction of Democracy! Who 'da thunk it?
Informed Voters help to maintain a Strong Democracy.
ReplyDeleteThe Blue Ribbon will help informed citizens to obtain accurate information and help citizens not to be influenced by wild statements designed to mislead them. Voting decisions needs to be based on facts and not deliberate misstatements.
The Pro-Cityhood supporters and candidates were busy from May 2008 to June 3, 2008 to correct the misleading statements of the No Cityhood supporters. The campaign by the Pro-Cityhood supporters worked for they beat the No-Cityhood supporters by a margin of 62% to 38%.
The major focus in the June 3, 2008campaign was the Cityhood measure and who to select for City Council.
The issue of District versus At Large didn't receive as much attention nor scrutiny as it needed. This representation issue can be more thoroughly studied by the Blue Ribbon so that the City Council can make a more informed decision whether or not to place it on the ballot. The concern of losing 4/5th enfranchisement can not be trifled with specious arguments, particularly if the measure barely passed in June 2008. Furtherlmore, it is a specious argument that we can not reconsider it on a later ballot. The issue of losing nearly all of one's enfranchisement is more important than the measure barely passing by 227 votes out of approximately 10,300 votes.
I'm sure many of these things that are being debated here will be considered and researched thoroughly by the Blue Ribbon Committee. There is no telling who will be on the committee, but I'm sure with as much flack as the council is taking, they will make sure the committee is comprised of individuals that equally represent both sides of the argument or are neutral. That would be the ethical way to do it anyway.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, I know I'm going out on a limb by even hinting that ethics have a place in politics.
The idea of it being a close vote is such a weak argument. There are close elections all of the time. The State of Minnesota just elected a Senator who won by 220 votes. There were 2.9 million people who voted. Are they going to do a re-vote because it was close?
ReplyDeleteI believe voting at-large or by district received the same amount of attention going into the election. Why were those who voted for districting misinformed?
I was in favor of incorporation and voted for at-large. If this item is put back on the ballot I will be voting for districts and will campaign vigorously for it.
In response to the blogger on 2/7/09 at 4:29,
ReplyDeleteI wish to correct your statement that Al Franken won the senatorial election in Minnesota. He can not get a certificate from the Republican Governor nor from the Democatic high ranking official. He is not able to be sworn into office without this certificate. Meanwhile Coleman, the Republican candidate, has filed a lawsuit and no candidate will not be able to become a Senator until the court case is decided.
Again the issues of adequate enfranchisement is a much more important consideration than the argument that there was small number of voters that voted for Districts over At Large and therefore no more discussion.
This measure deserves a thorough thrashing out of the electorial issue in a new City that is evenly devided in the vote totals. This measure was not thoroughly discussed in the June 3, 2009 Election. It simply fell through the cracks. Now, light must be shown on this measure.
If District stands up to scrunity then it must be system used in Menifee. However, At Large could be the much better system and it should be the system. The Blue Ribbon Commission should be able to help provide the information for the voters to make an informed decision.
This is unbelievable. We shouldn't be spending any money on a panel, period.The people voted and that is that. If the mayor doesn't like it, too bad. All the people in Menifee need a voice, not just those east of the 215. I don't believe in recalls, but when we vote for mayor again, we need to pick new blood. The mayor and the council should be spendingmore time on issues, such as job creation, graffitti, etc... I will tell you what though, to be more open-minded, maybe the mayor and the rest of the council should forgo their salaries for the next few years and put that money into funding the panel and revote. It is only fair, considering they are the ones who want the revote. Anybody who would want the revote is as stupid as the mayor and council think they are.
ReplyDeleteTo anonymous Feb. 10, 2009, 9:15am the Mayor is not for the Blue Ribbon committee. He is the only one who voted against this. It is the brainstorm of Darcy Kuenzi who is controlled by Supervisor Ashley that will setup this committee and hand pick who will be allowed on it. And from her speaking engagements throughout the city it will be only people who are for at large elections and want a revote by special election. Darcy Kuenzi is not serving the community she is serving her own political gain as she wants the Mayors job. And talk about just making it John Denver only got elected by 73 votes over Deines and Scott Mann only got 37 votes over Denver & only 110 over Deines should we not revote on this too based on the same facts of not being truly informed. Perhapes you don't care that it will cost the taxpayers $50,000.00 that we do not have to fund this committee and special election but I do and they should be stoped in their tracks from proceeding forward.
ReplyDeleteIn response to the blogger on 2/10/09 at 12:38 p.m.
ReplyDeleteI support the Mayor's comments on the districting issue that appeared in the editions of the January and February 2009 Menifee Post. He hit the nail on the head. Have you read his comments?
I hope that the Blue Ribbon Commission will consists of three supporters of Districts, three supporters of At Large and three neutral voters.
One can become pound foolish and penny wise. Money is of course important. However, the question of losing the right of choosing four council members in a district system then there is need to study the advantages of Districts v. At Large. The need to have a Blue Ribbon Commission is further underscored by the fact that a bare 227 votes out of approximately 10,300 votes separated Districts and At Large.
The City of Menifee residents deserve further discussion on how the voters select their council members. Let the discussions begin and results from the Blue Ribbon Commission should make the voters more informed if the District or At Large issue is put on the ballot.
It doesn't matter whether or not the diffrence in votes was only 227, the fact is districts won out, end of story. If you are going to cry about it, put it bacak on the ballot come next election, but spending any money on an issue that is already decided, while trying to paint those that voted for districts as "misinformed" is ludicrous. Some members of our community need to suck it up and accept the result. NO MONEY SHOULD BE SPENT ON A BLUE RIBBON PANEL OR A SPECIAL ELECTION.
ReplyDeleteIn Response to the blogger on 2/11/09 at 7:52,
ReplyDeleteHave you read the article today in the California that discussed seeking candidates for the Blue Ribbon Committee? Are you going to apply? The city of Menifee needs Blue Ribbon Commissioners of different opinions.
I hope to find out that you apply as well as others who support districts. However,you and other supporters of Districts probably will not apply but stay on the sidelines carping and cajoling the Blue Ribbon Commission and the City Council.
To the blogger at 8:40 on 2/11/2009
ReplyDeleteI alreadt applied, but you missed the point. You and the At Large people are the one's who are crying and complaining. I believe we should keep things the way they are, you know, the way the majority of voters wanted. If you are going to make snide remarks, make sure you know where you are standing in relation to the issue.
To the Blogger at 8/11/09 at 8:32:
ReplyDeleteI am pleased that you have applied to sit on the Blue Ribbon Commission. I hope that any individual who sits on the Commission will be respectful of others with different viewpoints on the District Versus At Large issue. Anyone who is selected aa a Blue Ribbon Commission should strive to refrain from wagging their fingers, not to out shout those that disagree with them and threatening to recall the City Council if any conclusions, findings and recommendations were to run counter to their position.
These commissioners, additionally, need to keep their civility. They also need to keep their dignity as they represent the City of Menifee before all residents of the city, county and Inland Empire.