Video : Botts and Hanna interrupt  critic of City Council

During City Council meetings public comment is allowed for 3 minutes on items not on the agenda and 5 minutes on those that are on the agenda.

During the public session of October 13, 2009  Banning resident Chuck Katz, an activist who helped defeat the Liberty sludge plant, addressed the City Council. He was cut off by Bob Botts acting in concert with  Barbara Hanna ( who you can hear on the video talking to Botts). Botts interrupts Katz by saying   “this is  not relevant to this issue”.  In other words, Botts and Hanna appear not in the least interested in listening to what Katz had to say.

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The agenda of October 13, 2009  reads :

“Cooperative Agreement between the City of Banning, the City of Beaumont and the County of Riverside to share the cost of a Fire Engine Company”. This agenda item is intimately connected to ballot measure “L” which – we are told –  will fund Fire, Police and City services . So Katz’ comments on measure “L”  were very much relevant to this agenda item.

Don Smith speaks right after Katz. Watch how he relentlessly pumps measure “L” yet he does not get interrupted. What Don Smith says apparently is “relevant to the issue” yet what Katz says is deemed “not relevant” ?  Doesn’t this show bias on the part of Botts and Hanna and  point to double standard ?

CONCLUSION : In watching this video it becomes clear that Mayor Botts and Councilmember Hanna actively engage in discouraging public comment. They seem to have no genuine concern for what the speaker is trying to address.

Are Botts and Hanna  the type of people we should have on the council ?  Do they really want to serve the public or are they just self serving opportunists?  Do they have a right to be there if they don’t care about what the public has to say ?