Public venting

Dear Editor:Our group was at our second City Council meeting Tuesday night to help save the Avenue Theatre and I am happy to report that we now have every council member's attention (especially the mayor's) and there are a few things we think the public should hear about. The first was Mayor Mario Guerra during the early minutes of the meeting randomly switching the topic to the Avenue and informing us of it being a "done deal...there is no more need for discussion." It's too bad that we don't see it Guerra's way. We're going to be in the thick of this battle even if it goes to next week, next month, next year, or if this plays out over the next decade. Simply trying to blow us off with a few choice words is not going to stop us. Secondly, Carl Johnson (last year's Mr. Downey) and I spoke directly to the City Council about the Avenue. Carl gave a passionate speech about its preservation and how this could give our youth somewhere to go. This was the catalyst for the mayor's outburst that would occur after my speech. I'm no longer taking a friendly tone with the Council, as they did not respond at all. So I decided to step up my speech to be harsher in its tone. I was hoping for a response, but not the response I received from Guerra. I can only sum up the response as "overly livid" with classic rhetoric about "baseless accusations" and "lies" that has been heard time after time again. I received all my facts from the Downey Patriot, so he should not take up this argument with me but with them and their writing staff. I would like to inform everyone with the utmost sarcasm that "public venting" is finally going to be officially on its way. On Tuesday, the Council voted 4-1 to hire a consulting firm. I can only assume that everyting we have been saying to the Council and the citizens of Downey is being said "too early." As Guerra said himself last night, "We haven't even asked for the public's opinion yet." Well, Mayor, we're going to continue to give you and this "consulting firm" our opinions. It seems that we are the early birds swooping in and letting our opinions be known even before the "public venting process." I am inviting everyone once again to the upcoming Council meeting June 23 at 7:30 p.m. If you are interested, there is also the Downey Planning Commission meeting at the Downey City Library this Tuesday at 7 p.m. - Jared Head, Downey

********** Published: June 12, 2009 - Volume 8 - Issue 8