Here are the highlights from tonight's meeting:
1. The blended rate scenario was pulled due to "commission action". At the five minute public comment time, Tim Gregori said he is looking forward to "ECP being on par with the other members" or words to that affect. If you attended the work session where this was discussed, please feel free to share.
2. Mr. Gessaman asked, for the record, who on the commission had looked into the "secret box". One person (Jolley) nodded.
3. Larry Rezentes, CPA, took the city to task for trying to hide the deficits of ECP through a clean audit. He said it is nothing more than, "we're going down the tubes, but the accounting is done accurately".
4. He also reiterated as did Ron Gessaman, that even though the city got an unqualified or clean audit, it doesn't mean the figures are accurate. The audit only indicates that the financials were presented fairly and according to appropriate accounting standards. Thank you Messrs. Rezentes and Gessaman. I very much enjoyed not hearing Commissioner Beecher bloviate about how accurate the city's finances are because of a clean audit.
5. Near the end of the meeting, Mayor Stebbins presented retiring planning director Ben Rangel a plaque for his 35 years of service.
5. Near the end of the meeting, Mayor Stebbins presented retiring planning director Ben Rangel a plaque for his 35 years of service.
6. At the close of the meeting, Mayor Stebbins wished everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah and told everyone to be "kind to each other"; unfortunately, she said this several minutes after she had John Hubbard removed for calling the commissioners "empty-headed".
I must say this was the first meeting in a long while where the commissioners didn't have much to say. Commissioner Jolley asked a few questions, but the others made no comments.
You don't suppose this lawsuit had anything to do with that?
