Feb
27
Channel 2/9 set up for live feeds from Los Alamitos City Hall on Friday (click photo to enlarge)
(by Dave Emerson) Today, I needed Twitter. And our city needs some relief.
Got a call around 10 from a TV reporter, did a little research for her, met her at City Hall. Ended up on a chase through town in search of a cross burning. Fortunately, there was none. Back at city hall reporters from the 3 main local papers were loitering for a possible news conference while city staff tried to figure out what was going on and a police officer kept a watchful eye on the situation. Your tax dollars at work.
Eventually city staff appeared with copies of the Mayor’s “statement” from yesterday. (I hate hard copies that I can’t just paste in! I’ll try to get it up later tonight. It’s 7 paragraphs long, mostly attempts at explaining and or justifying the Mayor’s actions.
Also found an interesting statement from Mrs. Grose explaining why she’s no longer publishing jokes in the Rotary Newsletter. I’ll try to get that up later as well.
Did an interview, watched it at noon, and was reminded how editing will always result in clips that distort the more nuanced view you’re trying to present.
Had an interesting conversation with a friend I respect very much about the ethical response to this disturbing situation. Still trying to sort things out. Not real happy with how I came across on TV. I think “speaking the truth in love” is the standard. Very hard to do both sometimes, especially when someone else edits your words. But they’re just doing their job.
Helped the son straighten out a class dropping issue, got a lead on some additional forwarded e-mails from the Mayor, tracked them down, and still got some out of state taxes mailed before the end of the month deadline. On the way back noticed Channel 4′s remote van headed to Dean Grose’s office. (Dean Gross for those of you misspelling the Mayor’s name on your Google search.)
Channel 2/9′s been parked outside City Hall all day, doing live remotes every hour or two. They got the first interview with the Mayor today, who looked tired and disheveled. He made it clear that on Monday he will be stepping down as Mayor, but intends to remain on the City Council, but he only made that clarification after a rather rigorous cross examination by Michele Gile. He’s trying to choose his words carefully.
Why isn’t he stepping down from the Council? “Because I don’t need to.”
What has he learned? “You don’t forward e-mails.”
I still think he doesn’t get it.
And I have a real hard time understanding how resigning as Mayor but not as Council Member makes any sense at all.
And I shudder to think that the 4 people who made Grose Mayor will soon be picking our new City Manager.
What do you think? Please keep your comments civil and language polite. Thanks
Comments
16 Responses to “The circus comes to town, courtesy of our Council majority”
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What doesn’t Grose get??? We don’t want him representing our city as Mayor or City Councilmember period. We want him to go away. He’s embarassed us enough already. We don’t want him on any boards, commissions, or committees. Listen to the residents. Go away and take your sidekick Troy with you. We need stupdity and arrogance out of City Hall.
Dean should read the Code of Ethics that he signed when he took office (not to mention all the commissions he’s been on) It say that he is suppose to conduct himself above reproach. There you go.
What about that silly extra “contract” Troy was so proud of?
Didn’t he jump to sign that, as if the above wasn’t enough, and I believe he swore in to something of the same tune.
His word means nothing how can he remain and represent anyone.
Was a Brown Act violation brought up at the last couple of meetings!! I have heard nothing about that. I believe those a very serious charges not to be taken lightly.
He needs to go and anyone else with misconduct as our city representatives.
Dean’s first interview. Apparently they found another email that he sent out on Saturday that was about white power, the day before the watermelon email. When the reporter asked him about he he blatently denied it. Oh, that’s not good when the reporter has a copy in her hand.
http://cbs2.com/local/Los.Alamitos.Dean.2.945592.html
So much for cutting the budget. Maybe it is time to take away Deans computer & cell phone before he costs the city any more money.
Lets see, police protection, added police going to be needed at the meeting, lawyers, staff and who knows what else. Who is going to pay for all of this?
Maybe we should ask Troy? Oh but it is in the past and he only wants to move forward. I cant wait to see him try to move past this come Monday.
Yes, Grose should resign, but to blame Edgar is wrong. If you try this, then your just as guilty as the Klu Klux Klan that lynched innocent African Americans. Edgar is innocent of this act and is just as angry as all of you are. There is precident with the Council to appoint a councilman when one resigns. The council does not have the money for an election so yes one would be appointed to fill the rest of Grose’s term. Who the council appoints is at the decretion of the council, not who you want. The people on this website should start watching what they say as it could easily get violent and an innocent person hurt. I’m not just making this up, someone is already making threats. I think you should all calm down and speak as reasonable individuals from the podium.
Remember Dave, you don’t really monitor this website as you should. If someone gets hurt, you could be held liable for inciting people with this uncontrolled website.
Lynette T. is correct. There was another email I saw it and its more disgusting (if that’s possible) than the first.
Troy is that you under the assumed name Dean?
Dean says, “Who the council appoints is at the decretion of the council, not who you want.”
Not what we want? We are the people I think it goes something like… of the people, for the people, by the people. They represent us the people. Troy usually likes to say things like “at the pleasure of the council” and ” at our discretion ”
hmmm
Just heard that Al Sharpton may also be appearing at our city council meeting. Go to Lynette T.’s link above and listen to the second video. What has this man done to our city??? I am so upset over all of this.
Watching,
You make a very good point. Sounds a lot like Edgar doesn’t it, or at least what he would say. We have the right to say who represents us on our council and I have a feeling that we will exert that right come Monday night.
Dean is at fault here and Troy insults everyone that isn’t a part of the CPLA and we have to be careful because we are out of control.
More CPLA dribble….Maybe we should just all wait for the CPLA to show up at the council meeting to preserve Los Al for us and wait for all the Smear Flyers about Dean and Troy this week.
Yeah right…!!!
That’s what you are Dean…Unbelievable!!!
That’s why we can’t have you represent us!!!
That’s what I think his wife is saying too…go figure!
When this whole fiasco came to light the other day, I was disappointed in our Mayor and embarrassed for our city. Now, after watching the KCAL interview between Michelle Gile and Dean Grose (http://cbs2.com/local/Los.Alamitos.Dean.2.945592.html), you can add dumbfounded and angry to the list of adjectives. This guy just doesn’t get it.
As another poster pointed out, the only take-away for him seems to be “don’t forward e-mails.” How can he think that simply moving out of the middle chair and just sliding over a couple of spots is sufficient here? A council member is still in a position of leadership, and he has admitted that this situation will affect his ability to lead… which is why he’s stepping down. He’ll still have a vote on important matters that impact our city, he’s still going to represent us throughout the county and state, and he’s still be a distraction.
He needs to be recalled. If he doesn’t leave on his own, WE THE PEOPLE need to organize and act. (http://www.ehow.com/how_2096901_recall-city-council-member.html).
That’s right blame it on Troy that’s what you always do.You must be very scared of Troy. I’m not Troy or one of his family members. Your unmonitored website Dave,could harm an innocent person.
Dave here. Dean Grose’s unmonitored e-mails have already hurt an entire community! However, for the record, your e-mail does seem to confirm your claim that you’re not Troy.
Who said I don’t monitor this website, anyway. (See below for the rest of my response, and, seriously, thanks for taking the time to contribute to the discussion.)
Dear “Dean should resign,”
1. I do monitor this website. See? But I don’t babysit it. So far I really haven’t had to. Most posters here come pretty close to following the guidelines I suggest. As blogs go, the conversations here are relatively diplomatic and the language way better than even, for example, Lansner’s Register real estate blog.
2. I’m confident Los Al’s finest will have Monday’s Council meeting well under control. I do not advocate violence, and I am not aware of any regular posters here who do. When an outside racist poster put up a post here a few days ago, several regular posters immediately caller her out, did some research, and put up links so all could see, without me getting involved. As a rule, the regulars on this blog tend to regulate themselves. This isn’t a kindergarten class that needs constant supervision.
3. Before I ran for Council I occassionally caught a glimpse of the meetings on TV and I was under the impression that Troy was a smart guy who was being picked on. Once I started attending the meetings, I concluded Troy was wasting taxpayer money and Council time grandstanding. His long after midnight soliloquy against Ken Parker’s landlord was one of the lowpoints, but his actions towards Gerri Mejia and Cat Driscoll since the new majority took over are even worse. He has never returned any of my calls or replied to any of my e-mails since day one. When I asked him in person for some time after a council meeting, or to meet later, he flatly refused. It was Troy who paved the way for the current tragedy when he nominated Dean for Mayor. If I had to choose between Dean Grose resigning from the Council and Troy Edgar, I would choose Troy.
Oh-oh! Troy does carry a grudge and now your name will be mud, just like mine.