Correspondence - Non-Agenda - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Even though Sandra has been asking for mediation to address the leadership crisis, and a third resident has emerged who would make a good leader, Selica herself advocated for a single leader structure, which would solidify the dysfunction and lack of accountability we are experiencing. I advocated for a collective leadership model as one that is familiar to the Latin@ and BIPOC community, and one in which accountability and responsibilities are defined and adhered to. And even though Selica strangely made her case for a sole leadership structure to the numerous Com-Link members who suspiciously just happened to be at our meeting last night, Carl Benninger asserted that his own Neighborhood Association, Metro Classic, has a three-member leadership, and it works very well. I do not understand why you yourself proposed a single leader structure, especially in light of so much conflict and concern regarding Selica recklessly behaving as if we are already under a one leader structure, in which she continually misrepresents our residents in an official capacity and questions have been raised about her use of public funds meant for the Neighborhood Association without a process that involves the residents or having approval from the Neighborhood Association members. LACK OF EQUITY / BARRIERS TO RESIDENT PARTICIPATION In addition to the chaos, bullying and intimidation witnessed last night, another issue that was raised was the lack of translation at the meetings. This is a legitimate and ongoing concern, as most of the people who worked to thwart community input were English speakers, and a large percentage of those who attend Pacific Park Neighborhood Association meetings are Spanish speakers. Sandra and I have attempted to conduct simultaneous English and Spanish translation during heated discussions, but this does not substitute the need for the City to provide a dedicated translator at our meetings. While I commend you for trying to translate and facilitate the meeting, this completely broke down as the discussion, and the need for translation, intensified. It is not fair to you to perform both functions, and it is especially not fair to the residents to be excluded from participation due to a lack of a translator being provided by the City. To give you an example of how this relates to the Cypress Fire Station issue, at the May Pacific Park Neighborhood Association meeting, while Selica's same friends were trying to stymie discussion, we asked how many of the Spanish speakers in the room were EVEN AWARE of the issue, and the majority raised their hands that they WERE NOT. LACK OF PROCESS AND TRANSPARENCY Two other issues that raised concern at yesterday's meeting were the process for approving the artwork for the street toppers, and also the existence of a second Events Committee, both of 4