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Arroyo Grande City Council lied to the public

September 10, 2014
Mayor Tony Ferrara

Mayor Tony Ferrara

OPINION By OTIS PAGE

In the Arroyo Grande City Council meeting of Aug. 26 the Council unanimously agreed to a hold special session regarding the Steve Adams/Teresa McClish affair.

The video of the Aug. 26 meeting confirms that fact. It is important to understand that council member Tim Brown made the distinction about a review of the facts of the matter as compared to any closed session related to personnel discipline.

The council agreed to schedule the special session. Ferrara stated he had conflicts and the matter was eventually rescheduled to the regular meeting of Sept. 9.

When the agenda for Sept. 9 was published there was no time scheduled for the special session as promised on Aug. 26.

There was a schedule for a closed meeting with allotments for a performance review of Adams and a labor relations matter with the police. It became obvious from the posting of the agenda the “fix” was in to avoid a discussion of the matter as promised.

The schedule for the closed session was at the very end of the meeting of Sept. 9 — a typical tactic to run out the time so citizens would be inclined to not attend because of the lateness of the issue.

Nevertheless, two citizens spoke during the regular public comment at the beginning of the meeting expressing their concerns that the promise of an open discussion of the matter was not on the agenda as promised on Aug. 26.

But here is the reason why the council was wrong in not addressing the mater in an open session:

At the beginning of the closed session Mayor Tony Ferrara asked City Attorney Timothy Carmel to state the reason for a closed session as compared to open session.

In responding to Ferrara’s request, Carmel gave the “personnel” confidentially rationale as an answer — as it addresses what the council does in disciplining Adams.

Carmel’s parsed the matter. His answer denies the issue of the cover-up by parsing the issue from a review of the facts of the matter, as promised in the meeting of Aug. 26, to the personal discipline of Adams. Carmel’s answer avoids the larger question of implied guilt caused by the cover-up.

In condoning this false rationale by Carmel and by denying the open session on the matter as promised on Aug. 26, I believe Mayor Ferrara and the council have lied to the citizens of Arroyo Grande.

Otis Page is a citizen of Arroyo Grande.


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The council needs to receive requests in writing for this topic to be agendized

It must be in writing


Exposure to sexual harassment litigation

Brown act violation( there must have been a vote in closed for the reprimand

Someone must get to Tim Brown his future as a council member is at stake.

Was there a vote to determine if another investigation was warranted? If so how and when?

Was ther a vote to decide that McClish get nothing?


People say they don’t care about the “act” ; none of us do.

We care about the LYING!!!!!!


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At least Adams and Teresa McClish could pay for common-sense costs: 1) the cost for the police who spent several hours discovering their rendezvous, and then having to write reports and such; and 2) the cost of a hotel room (hat rents by the hour).


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I especially liked how Mayor Ferrara verbally reprimanded one speaker when they turned to address the public, reminding them to only address the council, this speaker was in favor of a independent investigation, but when another speaker did the same thing, turned to address the public, it was fine since they wanted the whole thing dropped.


Clearly two different rules depending on which side you are on,


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I noticed that when the mayor didn’t want to hear what someone was saying, he would stare

out the front window. I thought that was very rude.


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If Mr.Adams was given a reprimand, then he did something that made the City Council unhappy. This lack of decision making needs to be rewarded with TERMINATION without severance!

No investigation necessary- just fire him! You have cause!


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No reprimand for Teresa McClish? Isn’t this sexist and unequal treatment?


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Can someone answer this question for me. I remember when the female police officer

was fired for having a relationship with a subordinate. If I remember they were living

together. They were both single, is that correct? If that is the case then I really do not

understand what is going on with this latest scandal with an employee and a subordinate under much different circumstances?


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it is a major case of do as I say not as I do


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This nonsense continues? These people can’t be trusted at all. Why do they continue to disgrace the good people of AG with their arrogance? Tony is a bum. All involved need to resign now!!!


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Write-In Mr. Otis Page for Arroyo Grande Mayor. Use the Power of the Vote.

Vote Ms. Barbara Harmon for City Council.

Vote No on Charter City.


Demand Democratic Vote of the People:


1. Upcoming Sanitation “Automatic Rate Increase”.

2. Future ” Automatic Water Rate Increases”.

3. Let people Vote on ” Sales Tax Extension” approved by City Council.


You can only be a “Victim” if you allow City Council Members, City Manager, Legal Services, Police Department and Sanitation District make us their Victims.


It is time for action. Shall we fight back and change the leadership with our united vote, or shall our collective silence in November make us cowards .


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at the next harvest festival … the parade watchers should throw tea bags at the council as they smugly drive by


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Everyone should boo them and give them a thumbs down as they go by in the parade. Does anyone know if the League of Cities know what is going on in Arroyo Grande?


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and yell RECALL


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After all this, I certainly wouldn’t trust Tony Ferrara/Steve Adams/Teresa McClish from running the city in which I reside.


There needs to be real investigation.


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