Dear Editor,
Former Councilmember Karen Rarey knew that if she ran for mayor and lost, instead of running for re-election in District 3, she’d no longer be on the city council. She took that risk, ran and lost. Councilmember Susannah Meyer was elected in District 3 to replace her. Now, Meyer, the other new Councilmember Jovita Mendoza and their special interest group are trying to get Rarey appointed to Mayor Joel Bryant’s empty council seat to have three votes to the council. That’s not right.
Do we want a small, local, special interest group to control the majority of our council? Of course not. They need to accept the fact that Rarey lost. And she needs to be respectful of the people’s vote, gracious in defeat and step away, instead of trying to get back on the council and be the leader of a new majority coalition for a seat she can’t even run for in two years!
It’s time to give the new leadership that the people voted for a chance. Joel Bryant is that leader. The council needs to hold an application, interview and appointment process, not waste $200,000 of our tax dollars on a special election, and not appoint Rarey to his open seat.
They say politics is the art of compromise. Jovita and Susannah need to remember that and learn to compromise and find common ground with Mayor Bryant and Councilmember Johnny Rodriguez and appoint someone, preferably from District 4 to fill the seat for the next two years.
Please take the City Council survey on the city’s website by next Monday, Dec. 28 at www.brentwoodca.gov/gov/admin/opencityhall.asp Join me in telling the council we want them to hold an application and appointment process, not a special election and not appoint Rarey.
Thank you.
Pauline Giles
Brentwood
13 comments
It’s very simple Pauline. The next vote majority should receive the seat. Your assumptions of good ole boy three votes is just that, an assumption. You know what they say about assumptions. Rarey actually did not lose. She received the most votes as Bryant was eliminated by taking the Mayor position. If impropriety is found, there are laws to protect the voters. Pauline you are correct about not wasting money. That’s why it is the best avenue to take the next highest votes.
ECT, check your spam please,
Merry Christmas
Why should the ladies be the ones to compromise? Joel knows what the right thing to do is and refuses to do it.
I have seen several well written comments about Joel disappear on other posts. They were comments that weren’t disrespectful or causing harm. I’m wondering if all of those people deleted them? Why would they take the time to write statements regarding their positions and delete them? They weren’t disrespectful. They weren’t harmful. They were all pro-Karen though.
Is everyone who writes a letter to the editor going to be published? Pauline is related to someone who ran for city counsel and lost. No disrespect, but after reading this letter I’m left wondering why this one was chosen to publish?
How disappointing to see this letter published attacking Karen Rarey this way. I am opposed to this kind of unprofessional journalism. Pauline Giles does not cite a single legitimate reason why Karen Rarey should not be appointed. And since Karen Rarey received second to the most votes for Mayor I’m not sure why anyone even cares if Pauline has a reason. Karen Rarey has been a resident in Brentwood for decades, and for as long as I’ve known her (25 years) she’s worked to make our community better. She deserves to have a voice on the council. I hope East County Today apologizes for their lack of judgement in publishing a letter that is not worthy of the time I spent reading it. How about some real journalism?
It is a letter to the editor which voices an opinion. Anyone can submit one just like anyone can have an opinion. Too many variables at play if you go off the last election. Unless the mayor or councilmembers soften their stance, this is going to be a $250k waste of money on a special election. All four are dug in on their stance.
Joel Bryant is ethically and morally corrupt to the core. Joel Bryant is unable to manage his own finances let alone the finances of a city. Joel Bryant currently has a lien on his home and is making his neighbors shoulder his financial burdens. It’s public record, look it up. So far it’s $40,000 of grift over the table from Seeno that we know of.
Indrani Golden received $5,000 in “campaign contributions” from Seeno.
Joel Bryant received $40,000 in “campaign contributions” from Seeno.
That we know of.
The author of this “Letter to the Editor” is Pauline Giles.
Pauline is related to Indrani Golden.
Joel Bryant has a lien on his home due to outstanding financial bills.
This is part of the public record, look it up.
CORRUPTION can only flourish in Brentwood if the citizens are stupid enough to let it happen.
Do not use my email to send your propaganda and lies. Karen Rarey is the 2nd highest voter getter and should absolutely be appointed to honor the will of the people and avoid the cost of a new election. And next time, print a fair, impartial story and send an eblast that discloses YOUR relationship and special interest.
Joel Bryant is bought and paid for by corporate developers, Seeno. Talk about a special interest group. Corporations aren’t people. People are people! Jovita, Susannah and Karen will look out for Brentwood’s struggling individuals and families, not corporate developers whose only concern is lining its own pockets, not creating equitable communities for all people.
Will of the people? She lost. Brand new field in a special election, she still will lose. Appointment process, she still will not get selected. Jovita and Karen pushing the rhetoric in their own form of special interest. Most of you are failing to see the hypocrisy and propaganda that is coming from the pro Karen crowd. Very embarrassing that the only thing they have on Joel is accepting money which all candidates do.
Joel is not perfect, but Karen is a train wreck waiting to happen. I’ll go back to what ECT said a few weeks ago after the election. Joel not only beat Karen, he did it with Paul Lafollette, Ryan Raimondi, and Ed Schuck taking votes away from him where most of those votes would never go to Karen anyway. You people need to deal in reality and not a perverse alternate universe.
If our “at large council seat” goes to another special election it will be because Joel Bryant and Johnny Rodriquez forced the taxpayers to waste or tax dollars for it rather than help our struggling families and businesses. Who are they representing?
I watched the nearly 3 hour council meeting, and was totally disappointed in the way that our Mayor Joel Bryant, and Councilmen Rodriquez disregarded all input from their constituents. Councilman Rodriquez claims he “talks” to people, but then states that those he speaks with can’t write emails or place phone calls? How insulting. Our city is equipped with translators that can “listen” and record second language speakers.
One of the first mayoral decisions Joel Bryant made was to appoint Johnny Rodriquez Vice Mayor. That has already been enough decision making exercised by one member without consensus. Now the Mayor and Vice Mayor want to rule their city without any consideration of the will of the people they represent, and disregard what other council members recommend. Why can’t the the Mayor and Vice-Mayor hear what was being said at the meeting?
A special committee formed to interview new applicants to be appointed by Johnny, and Joel is a gross overstep of their power, the council members Jovita, and Susannah have already spoken- their first choice is Karen Rarey. The councilwoman are listening to the community (all the districts chose Karen Rarey as their 1st or 2nd choice for mayor), and basing their pick on real experience with Karen Rarey. They appreciate her leadership and ability to connect to the people of Brentwood. The real leaders in this process are Jovita, and Susannah. They see the way to expedite the filling of the seat with the most qualified applicant, Karen Rarey, at the least cost to the city.
I am definitely opposed to a new “application/interview” process for council appointment (too corrupt, and gives too much power to a council where 2/4 members are not listening to the community’s emails and phone-calls, and participation in council meetings). Honestly, I believe that this type of arrangement for an elected seat (to represent our community) should be illegal. It doesn’t allow the community to elect their representative. If the council elects the seat (without community input) then it is a council representative, not a member representing the community.
I hate to see us waste money on another (special) election when that money could be used to help businesses and families in Brentwood.
The only smart way to fill the vacant seat is to appoint Karen Rarey, a known leader and person whose voice is respected.
Get over yourself. If it goes to a special election its because Susannah Meyer and Jovita Mendoza. See what I did there? All four were elected. Of course Johnny is vice mayor, you going to appoint Meyer or Mendoza who just got elected and have never served in their life? Before you speak ignorance, this process is nothing new. Its as if the Karen Rarey supporters have all of a sudden forgotten about how filling vacant seats work in order to bend the rules. I for one am glad Bryant and Rodriquez are not bending on this, given how her supports act, I don’t want her anywhere near a council seat ever again. Real leadership is not mob mentality, which is why Karen is unfit.
It’s very simple. While 8,619 people voted for Karen Rarey, there were 22,764 people who voted against her in this election. That speaks volumes.
Come on Bill. Write another comment using the same formula with the top vote getter. Common sense is not for everyone Bill. You speak volumes.
Comments are closed.