Last week I noted that City Council candidates' public positions on issues mattered even if they did not win a seat. That goes double--or maybe triple-- for sitting City Council members. Candidate Mike Dunham had some disappointing positions on policing tactics that I noted here. This week I am even more disappointed, appalled even, at councilman Michael Brownrigg's statements as reported in the Daily Journal on Friday. Read for yourself
We have a sitting City Council member advocating for discriminatory hiring practices based on sex. Let that settle in for a moment. Perhaps in his failed foray into state politics, Brownrigg spent an excessive amount of time in the company of so-called progressives. Or perhaps Zoom council meetings that don't have the benefit of a television camera in one's face cause the proceeding to be more casual. It doesn't matter. In any case, the public record now shows at least some movement towards hiring discrimination. I hope the city attorney interjected to correct this and if not, it's not too late. The future legal problems as a result of letting this sit could be substantial.
Additionally last Friday, the front page headline in the Daily Post read "Police chief abruptly resigns" noting "Menlo Park Police Chief Dave Bertini unexpectedly announced yesterday that he was retiring during an online town hall meeting regarding policing, saying he has lost the trust of the City Council." These are perilous times and City leaders need to be more careful about their statements. Brownrigg should retract his statement and apologize.
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