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According to a report by City Attorney Fred Galante, the Cypress City Council in closed session voted 4-1 against moving to district-based elections. Councilmember Frances Marquez was the lone dissenting vote.
Katie Shapiro rose to speak during the first public comment session about Item #6, “Second Reading and Adoption of an Ordinance Amending and Restating the Rules of Order for the Conduct of City Council Meetings.” She requested a question-and-answer session that allows residents to question Councilmembers and receive answers.
Maria Krikos spoke against the vote on district-based elections, asserting that there is no chance of winning a lawsuit. She also requested townhall-style meetings to get answers.
Glen Button applauds the Council. He asserted that the California Voting Rights Act (CVRA) is badly written. The opposition to district-based voting has been heard.
Online speaker Ed Kremer spoke on two issues. First, the vote to avoid district-based elections is a stall tactic. Second, SB 1383 keeps greenhouse gases from landfills. Instead, you should reduce, recycle, reuse. Issue botched.
City Attorney Fred Galante clarified the restrictions placed on unagendized topics by the State’s Brown Act.
Regarding Item #6, Councilmember Marquez objected to the ordinance as a limitation on her freedom of speech. Mayor Pro Tem Anne Hertz-Mallori asked for clarification. City Attorney Fred Galante stated that it is an “uncodified ordinance” that will become effective 30 days after the first reading. The current version was updated from a version from 1965. City Manager Pete Grant added that the ordinance pertains only to Council meetings, not to discussions by residents with a Councilmember outside a formal meeting. She repeated her insistence on greater transparency.
Item #6 was approved on a 4-1 vote, with Councilmember Marquez voting no.
