Chief MacKinnon: Second special Council meeting scheduled June 1
June 01, 2012
By Peggy Kelly
Santa Paula City Council
Government insiders and political watchers across the state were let in on the issue of embattled Police Chief Steve MacKinnon, who will be the subject of another special City Council closed session today.
The Friday, June 1 meeting will be held at the City Council Conference Room (in the back of City Hall complex, 970 E. Ventura St.) at 4 p.m. The item is again agendized as Potential Litigation, and notes discussion of the settlement agreement with MacKinnon, the city's chief since November 2005.
MacKinnon was placed on paid administrative leave in April after the city received an outside investigation, initially centered on his use of a city vehicle for 23 trips to his Arizona home over a 20-month period. Launched in January, the investigation - which so far has cost more than $15,500 - widened to include about $2,800 in gasoline city credit card charges and questions about his timesheets and work hours.
This is the second closed session regarding the issue.
Anita Pulido, a co-chair of Citizens Supporting Chief MacKinnon, which formed less than a week after he was placed on paid administration leave April 17, said Thursday she questioned the timing of the special meeting being held on a regular City Hall closure day. "I won't be able to attend, and Gary Nasalroad," who co-chairs the citizens committee, "is out of town.... Several people have already called me and expressed outrage over the timing of this meeting."
Outraged citizens overflowed the May 7 regular council meeting emphasizing their support of MacKinnon, who they credited with turning around the formerly troubled police department. Supporters also noted the improved perception of the city tied to better law enforcement, as well as the deep involvement in community fundraising efforts both as chief and a volunteer that MacKinnon - regarded by many as a workaholic - is known for.
"I'm terribly disappointed, but the short notice of this is just an example of the too many quarterback sneaks that have been coming from City Hall. The community does not appreciate the quick meetings they are arranging on this issue without sufficient notice. Friday at 4 p.m.? That's laughable."
Pulido said such timing "keeps the community from participating and commenting and that is not acceptable, especially as the council has a regular meeting scheduled for Monday," June 4. Pulido suspects the timing also is related to remarks and questions that would be raised by MacKinnon supporters during public comment that would be broadcast Monday on cable television and on the live Internet stream.
"They don't want it televised and they don't want too many people to attend, period," another way Pulido said the city has "exaggerated to the public, the community, that they believe 'do it our way or the take the highway.' These types of things just make it hard to understand why they are doing this to the community that wants to 'Bring MacK Back!' "
The issue of the embattled chief seems to be going viral: under the heading "Controversy Erupts over Santa Paula's Embattled Police Chief; Residents Demand Answers" CaliforniaCityNews.org on Wednesday posted a lengthy article noting stories published in the Ventura County Star and Santa Paula Times. The website is considered a prime news source for government officials and political watchdogs across the state.
The opening paragraph of the article notes, "Placing embattled Chief of Police Steve MacKinnon on paid administrative leave has erupted into a firestorm in the city of Santa Paula with severe backlash directed at City Manager Jaime Fontes and the City Council."
The website is http://www.californiacitynews.org and the article is directly available at
http://www.californiacitynews.org/2012/05/controversy-erupts-over-santa-paula%E2%80%99s-embattled-police-chief-residents-demand-answers.html.
