As we've been reviewing council meetings for the past couple of months, we noticed that Councilmember Fritzky often seems to be the lone voice of reason - and of residents - during council meetings.
Unfortunately for all of us, three of her recent requests for agenda items have been shunted offline where residents may never know of their resolutions, if any:
Improved Respect for Residents Back in August, during the height of the "fiscal emergency" hoopla, Fritsky was cognizant of and responsive to resident concerns, letters to the council and a letter to the editor of the Lamorinda Weekly expressing disappointment with how one Moraga resident was essentially interrogated by a Councilmember about speaking to the press on the town's declaration of fiscal emergency.
Fritsky asked that a discussion about decorum and treatment of residents be agendized, but the balance of the council essentially decided she ought to discuss the matter privately with other councilmembers.
Recovery Plan for 6-month-old Declaration of Fiscal Emergency In early January, Fritzky commented on the lack of any progress or plan to extract the town from the declared fiscal emergency, and asked for a public discussion regarding a progress report, substantive plan to address the declaration of fiscal emergency, or discussion on rescinding it as no longer valid/active.
The balance of the council decided to not agendize the discussion and instead relegated it to a budget/finance meeting, which may or may not be public and, in any event, which will not be broadcast/videotaped and has only summary minutes.
Adequate Transparency and Document Retention Most recently, Fritzky asked for public discussion regarding the lack of a document retention policy and the associated risks of not having one. The Town Clerk and Town Attorney previously informed Fritsky that no such policy exists, which is consistent with reports from some of our readers who have not received requested documents and were subsequently informed there is no document retention policy at Town Hall. Mayor Trotter indicated that his recollection is that there is a policy somewhere.
Fritsky's request for agendized public discussion was denied and relegated to private communication between her and the town attorney.
The balance of the council's unwillingness to acknowledge, discuss and address these matters in public should be disappointing to residents seeking a truly representative and responsive government.