08-09-2011 CC RPT 11 - Laserfiche WebLink

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departmental policies. He was the one person who stood up for the citizens' right to know about that business, and I think that makes him in that area an exemplary Commissioner. Again, if there's issues with absences I think that the Commission would have registered complaints about that first. I'm not aware of that. I've attended most of the Commission meetings. As you know, they can be pretty contentious at times. And I think on those grounds, I just want to [inaudible] to believe that first of all, I mean I'm not aware of any unexcused absences he's had. And the Commissioner just had an unexcused absence like the last meeting. These are excused absences. So I'd just like to raise the point that those are some points to consider. I won't get into the rest of it but I, because I really think it does come to that simple point. Thank you. ELLIOTT: Anyone else present that would like to make their presentation? PRIAMOS: It's time for Mr. Morales. Mr. Morales will be presented with 15 minutes in which to make his presentation and add anything to the written complaint previously submitted. MORALES: Good afternoon ladies and gentleman. My name is Michael Morales. I'm a citizen and a resident of the City of Riverside for almost 25 years now. And I am a citizen activist concerned with an open, transparent, legal and ethical government. I am an individual not affiliated with any group, organization, body, individual. I do not support any candidate for any office. I am here on my own volition. What I see, what I feel is inappropriate, illegal, unethical behavior in or by government. I take my case before the Council for the appropriate authority and voice my concern. And in the case of Mr. Brandriff, the past actions I have taken are the proof of my taking action when I feel it was necessary. My complaint of Mr. Brandriff is an exorbitant and unethical number of meetings missed by Mr. Brandon while being appointed to one of the City's most important commission, the Civilian Police Review Commission. Mr. Brandriff volunteered for and accepted the responsibility of serving on a commission. He had taken an oath and made a pledge to attend all meetings as is stated in the Code of Ethics. By failing to attend he silences the voice and public trust of the people of Ward 7 and the community at large. This voice guaranteed to them by an overwhelming vote of the people he make sure [inaudible]. Mr. Brandriff missed nearly one -half of all meetings in a year period and did not choose to step down and let a fellow resident of Ward 7 take his place that could attend and restore the voice and trust to the people of Ward 7. Mr. Brandriff placed his personal agenda, political ambitions ahead of and more important than the people of Ward 7. That's unethical. Furthermore, Mr. Brandriff through false pretense was able to get the missed meetings registered as "excused." Mr. Brandriff stated that due to an on- the -job injury he was rendered physically unable to attend the meetings. Mr. Brandriff did not attend none of those meetings, yet he did attend on Commission meeting dates at least one Mayor's night out and in his own campaign Ward, he knocked on 1,800 doors, walked the hills and streets for last year on that [inaudible] and planted trees, attended community and neighborhood meetings all while too injured to work. Even in light of part -time duty, he did not attend the Commission meetings so that he could campaigning for elected office. In other words, he abandoned the office, one office he took an oath to serve on to run for another office of City of Riverside. That's also unethical. The Commission voted to change the meeting hours and Mr. Brandriff has stated he could not attend during those new hours. Mr. Brandriff should have immediately resigned ME