A drowning at Monday night’s City Council meeting so far has gone unreported — when tenderly intended words were drowned out by darting comments, ironically by a recipient of the peace gesture.
Fulfilling one of his showcase campaign promises — to practic e and encourage civility and respect between and among Council members — Andy Weissman, already the steadiest, most disciplined hand on the dais, plunged into wound-repair mode near the end of a stormy, intensely personalized meeting.
After sitting through five hours of hostile rhetoric, Mr. Weissman, an attorney, gently and sensitively tossed bouquets at Vice Mayor Gary Silbiger and Councilman Chris Armenta. They were the main proponents of aggressively pursuing a change in policy and hiring a Culver City animal control officer, who would supplant the County officer.
Reaching Across the Aisle
“I want to congratulate Gary and Chris,” Mr. Weissman said. “I know that animal control is something you have been very interested in for a very long time. While we disagree on the merits of the proposal that we discussed this evening, I do know that you believe in this very strongly, Mr. O’Leary as well.
“I hope the program works well. I never want to see anything not succeed. I would suggest, or hope, that in the course of many ongoing considerations of the animal control program in general, we take a look at our relationship with the County.
“It’s my understanding that our sheltering agreement, while it is a 5-year agreement, does have a provision that allows either party to cancel it, without cause, on 90 days’ prior written notice. If the shelter is performing as poorly as it has been suggested it is, then I would hope we would take a serious look at all alternative sheltering proposals. And, if need be, recommend necessary changes in the relationship.”
Serenity prevailed for nearly a minute — until it was Mr. Silbiger’s turn to comment. In an aside, for one blurred moment, a budding rivalry on the dais flared before receding.
A chill returned to the air across the nearly empty Council Chambers when the Vice Mayor aimed unsubtle arrows at a favorite target, City Manager Jerry Fulwood, and especially at Mr. Fulwood’s job worthiness.
Unlike his colleagues, Mr. Silbiger carries a packed, personal, iconoclastic agenda with him at all times. Generally isolated and rebuffed most of the times he pushed for passage during his first 6 years, he has felt more empowered the last two months, since like-thinking Mr. Armenta was elected to the City Council.
Several Gripes
Mr. Silbiger carped at the City Manager for allowing agenda items strongly linked to his personal belief system, to dangle in the late spring breeze. He demanded explanations.
As an arch-environmentalist, he wanted to know what had happened to the completed version of a no-smoking-in-outdoor-areas proposal that the previous Council approved last year.
Informed that the item — widely regarded as not urgent — was scheduled to come before the next month, unless overtaken by a more timely issue, Mr. Silbiger objected.
“These kinds of things are frustrating to me,” he said.
For months, the Vice Mayor has been seeking to relax the policy that requires three votes for a Councilman to have an issue agendized. Given his own busy agenda, he would prefer no additional support be required, but would be agreeable to reducing the present number to two votes.
A Time to Hurry up
Clearly nettled, Mr. Silbiger again declared his exasperation. “For me and for the community,” he said, “how to agendize items is really important.” Such a simple, uncomplicated subject shouldn’t consume much staff time, he said, so why can’t it be brought before the Council next Monday.
Demurring, Mr. Fulwood said it was scheduled for next month. Mr. Silbiger felt he was being put off again.
When he turned to Mr. Armenta for succor, his relief was scant. “I agree this is important,” Mr. Armenta said, “but it’s only a few weeks.”
Then came Mr. Silbiger’s plum subject .
Job Performance
After receiving confirmation from Human Resources Director Serena Wright, the Vice Mayor said there was another policy he wanted to overturn.
He wants the Council to conduct evaluations of City Hall’s 4 department managers — Police Chief Don Pedersen, Fire Chief Jeff Eastman, City Atty. Carol Schwab — four times a year instead of the present one time.
Those familiar with Mr. Silbiger’s thinking said his only target was Mr. Fulwood, whose work schedule and work habits he has closely — but quietly — monitored for years, away from public view.
Mayor Scott Malsin was the only Councilman to respond, and he did so with unapologetic disgust.
Rolling his eyes, he said: “I think I know what this is all about. And I don’t want to hear anymore about it.”
