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Council Stifles Attempt to Reduce Subcommittee Quorum
VOLUME 21, NO. 6
NAACP Shelves BodyCam Lawsuit Against Chief Sanchez, City Manager Mermell
City supports Measure H; implements permanent water conservation efforts
The Pasadena NAACP and community activist Michelle White are dismissing their lawsuit against Pasadena City Manager Steve Mermell and Pasadena Police Chief Phillip Sanchez over the Police Department’s body camera policy. The lawsuit sought to enjoin the use of the new policy because it allegedly was not submitted to the Department of Justice as required by the grant for funding,
BY GUS HERRERA
O
n a night when council united to combat homelessness and reduce the city’s water usage, the mayor was forced to postpone consideration of another item after realizing that the room was clearly not in agreement. Item 3 proposed reducing the number of subcommittee members necessary to achieve a quorum from three, to two. City staff’s report claimed that doing so would “improve the efficiency of operations … and reduce inconvenience to the general public, who on occasion, must wait in order for a quorum to be achieved before a meeting may begin.” Quorum is a very old word (Middle English, originally derived from Latin) that simply refers to the minimum number of individuals that need be present for business or a meeting to take place.
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Pasadena 2017 Black History Month Parade Mayor Terry Tornek was surprised by council’s reaction towards Item 3 and decided to re-assess his committee appointments. - Photo by Terry Miller / Beacon Media News
The city currently has five council subcommittees (finance, municipal services, economic development and technology, legislative policy, public safety) each responsible for analyzing and for-
warding recommendations to the full council for consideration. The subcommittees are made up of three or four council members, appointed by the mayor.
Item 3 was met with significant opposition from the public and council members alike. Some argued a more fundamental defense of democratic principles that honor the right of the ma-
jority and fear placing too much power in the hands of the few. “This will result in less, not more opportunity for SEE PAGE 13
Special events announced Celebrate Black History Month 2017 by attending the parade and other special events, lectures and activities in Pasadena now through Sunday, March 19, 2017. PasSEE PAGE 12