March 2010 Archives

General Secretary Michael Beck did his best Wednesday to defend the secret panel that help pick police chief finalists. But in the end, Pasadena politburo's secret committee took some heat in the northwest over the whole enchilada. Reporter Dan Abendschein was there:

PASADENA - Northwest Pasadena residents laid into City Manager Michael Beck at a Wednesday meeting on the city's police chief search, accusing him of not fairly representing their part of the city.

The main issue was a 16-member police chief search committee, which community members criticized for not having enough representatives from the black community, the Northwest, and not enough low-income members.

"You missed a chance to really unify the city," said Dr. Nicholas Benson, a member of the Fair Oaks Project Area Committee, which co-hosted the meeting. "This is another confirmation that there are truly two cities, Northwest Pasadena, and the other Pasadena."

Not sure what the purpose is at this point. But City Manager Michael Beck will meet with residents of Northwest Pasadena to explain his rational behind a secret panel that chose finalists to replace Barney Melekian as police chief.

This from a press release (No he won't be naming the finalists):

ATTENTION PASADENA COMMUNITY

Fair Oaks and Lincoln PAC Community Meeting to discuss Pasadena
Police Chief Advisory Panel process and criteria to select finalist,
with City Manager Michael Beck.

A joint meeting of the Fair Oaks and Lincoln Project Area Committees
will be held on March 24, 2010 at 6:30 p.m., Robinson Park
Multi-Purpose Room-1081 N. Fair Oaks Avenue. Topics of discussion
include the criteria undertaken by the 16 panel Pasadena Police Chief
Advisory Committee to select the final candidates.

Council members Chris Holden and Jacque Robinson will be in
attendance. For more information, contact the Northwest Programs
office at 626.744.7043.

Reporter Dan Abendschein sat as a guest on Pasadena's City Beat public access television program on March 5 for a discussion on the city's decision to use a secret committee to help search for a new police chief.

The League of Women Voters Pasadena Area Saturday will host an open government forum featuring Pasadena's City Attorney Michele Bagneris, who is not such a big fan of open government herself.
Bagneris defended City Manager Michael Beck's decision to keep secret the names of community members who will help choose the city's next police chief.
She claims its not in the public interest to disclose those names.
Oh really?
What if former Riverside Police Chief Russ Leach is among those advising Beck (himself the former Riverside City Manager)
I believe Pasadenans have the right to know who is on this secret committee and open government advocate Terry Francke, the head of the Californians Aware open government group, agrees.
He said that the names of the panel members should be released under the California Public Records Act.
"There's nothing in the law that would exempt those names from being released," Francke told reporter Dan Abendschein.
FYI there will be a Q&A session at the open government forum about 9:15 a.m. If you think Bagneris and Beck should be challenged on this I urge you to attend.
The forum will be held at Neighborhood Church, 301 North Orange Grove. it begins at 8:30 a.m.and ends around noon with a call to action.

Any questions for City Councilwoman Jacque Robinson?
I'm meeting with her later today. Perhaps there's something you want to know..
Send me an email : frank.girardot@sgvn.com

Thanks for your votes in my little poll. Consider this a revival -- albeit a slow moving one.
A few Pasadena stories of interest:

1) As many as 500 felons could be back on Pasadena streets, if they qualify for early release. The big question Pasadena cops are grappling with is "what to do with all these men and women?"
The answer they've come up with is: "get community organizations involved in rehabilitation."
Seems like a noble effort...

2) Caltech has been monitoring developments in Chile and Haiti and officials at the brainiest institution in Pasadena believe events in both countries should serve as a reminder to us in the Southland that the big one is coming ....

3) Stand and deliver for Jaime Escalante. The famed East Los Angeles is battling cancer and needs your help. The nonprofit Foundation for Advancements in Science and Education in Pasadena, which publishes Escalante's educational materials, is taking donations. Contributions can be sent to "Friends of Jaime," C/O FASE, 236 W. Mountain St., Suite 105, Pasadena, CA 91103.

4) Expect more rain this weekend...But don't expect anyone to say the drought is over.