By Les Greenberg

At last Jan. 13’s City Council meeting, many persons wished to discuss efforts to preserve the skating rink on Sepulveda, an item not on the City Council’s agenda. There were 29 speakers.

All Councilpersons discussed the subject for one-half hour. Councilperson Mehaul O’Leary, the leadoff discusser, stated, in part: “Let me explain just a little bit of process. This is you talking to us on an item not on the agenda. So, legally, we’re not allowed, right now, to discuss it. That means just at today’s meeting. I am going to be asking of staff some really tough questions. I’ve prepared them for some of them, not others. I always like to put staff on edge. Just kidding. Just kidding. I am probably going to make a motion that we agendize this based on my questioning.”

Councilperson O’Leary is evidently familiar with the Brown Act — “legally, we’re not allowed, right now, to discuss it.”

The official Meeting Minutes state, in part, “Discussion ensued between Councilmembers and staff regarding….”

Do City Councilpersons make similar admissions so often that Councilperson O’Leary’s comments were not newsworthy?

Mr. Greenberg may be contacted at plgreen@att.net