THROUGH MY EYES -- RON DAVIS

Since I’ve been writing this column, I’ve teed off on the Huntington

Beach City Council a number of times when I’ve thought they’ve misspent

our tax dollars. I’ve griped about giveaways for galas and musical

instruments, as well as the purchase of $52,000 worth of art. I’ve argued

that these expenditures were inappropriate, given what I consider to be

more pressing needs in the city.

After the publication of an article in the Independent detailing a

$50,000 expenditure by the council for security improvements to the

council chambers and City Hall, a speaker, who is also a City Council

candidate, used this $50,000 expenditure to publicly assail the council.

The speaker characterized the expenditure as just another example of our

council’s inappropriate spending and suggested that the money was being

spent to construct security cages for our council members.

For me, an invitation to discuss inappropriate government expenditures

is like asking a practicing alcoholic if he’d like a drink.

Truth be known, from time to time, I’ve felt that caging elected

officials might be appropriate.

But the characterization of the council’s expenditure for security,

delivered from the lectern, was pure, unadulterated political rhetoric

hogwash. The kind of informational slop that shouldn’t be dished out to

the public or at the city administration and our elected officials.

I spent about 45 minutes with Rich Barnard, Huntington Beach’s

director of communications and special projects, who candidly discussed

the specific security measures. I was disappointed to learn that true

council cages are not part of the approved security measures.

Here I was all primed to take my best cheap shot at the City Council

and suggest that their selfish paranoia was being satiated at taxpayers

expense, only to find out it wasn’t true. Boy, was I feeling insecure.

Some, but not all, of the money will be spent on the council chambers.

Heated tempers and people going “council” are not unheard of. Under the

circumstances, it’s certainly appropriate to have some modest measures in

place to provide some rather minimal protection for our elected

representatives and city administrators from something more than a verbal

shot. Although at times ... no, I won’t get into that.

Some of the money will be spent on new city employee identification

badges and a computer entry system that will allow employees to enter the

building during off-hours and still secure City Hall.

Some of the money will also be spent on cameras to provide a higher

level of protection for residents who attend council meetings and who

leave City Hall late at night.

I left my meeting with Barnard comfortable that your tax dollars, at

least in this instance, were being appropriately spent.

City Hall and the council chambers are magnets for people who are

upset at the city and City Council for a variety of reasons.

Constitutionally speaking, our elected officials are forced to listen to

whatever verbal shots are fired at them. They are also permitted to

return fire with their own verbal salvos.

But no one should be forced to sit in a position of vulnerability at a

council dais and hope that no bent-out-of-shape resident will redline,

and if they do, have no means of protection or defense. * RON DAVIS is a

private attorney who lives in Huntington Beach. He can be reached by

e-mail at o7 RDD@socal.rr.com.f7