Mr. Christopher McGuinness, the Senior Staff Reporter Entertainment Editor and
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Is Lancaster City Hall Out of Control?
By Christopher McGuinness
Politics can sometimes be a dirty business, anyone who thinks otherwise is either naive or in total denial. When it comes to government on any level, there is always a certain amount of “below the belt” tactics which politicians and officials use to get into power and to stay there. A cursory glance at our country’s history shows us that backroom deals, mud-slinging, and name calling during an election year are almost as American as apple pie and baseball.
However, recent actions by the City of Lancaster seem to reveal a troubling pattern that I feel residents should be aware of, as this behavior raises some serious questions about what is going on in City Hall.
Recently it came to light that the city has decided to discontinue being a financial administrator of the Antelope Valley Human Relations Task Force (AVHRTF). The City said it will return the donations to the Task Force back to the various donors and not the AVHRTF. While City Manager Mark Bozigian stated that this occurred for purely administrative reasons, the fact that this move comes hot on the heels of the Task Force condemning remarks made by Lancaster Mayor R. Rex Parris and Council member Sherry Marquez possibly point to another purpose.
Call it “going out on a limb”, but is it possible that the AVHRTF is being “punished” for challenging the Mayor and a Council member? While no one can know the true answer to this question, I think the timeline of recent events is quite telling and points to the possibility that the cities’ actions and motives may have been less than noble.
On February 6th, two days before the Task Force was to meet and vote on Parris’s comments, AVHRTF President Darren Parker received a series of emails from Bozigian and Parris which questioned the legitimacy of the task force when Parker would not give up personal contact information for some members of the group. When Parker refused, the emails were sent to the press and appeared on local blogs the next day.
The Human Relations Task Force voted overwhelmingly to send a letter of censure to City Hall on February 8th, the same day that Mayor Parris called his own press conference to apologize for his remarks and had Councilwoman Marquez apologize as well. Shortly after this on February 10th, one of Darren Parker’s personal emails again appeared on a local blog posted by an unknown user. Yesterday on the 21st, local papers broke the news that the City of Lancaster will no longer act as the fiduciary for the Task Force.
Upon reading the emails between Parker and the City of Lancaster, one line from City Manager Mark Bozigian jumps off the page. Raising questions about the AVHRTF’s legitimacy, Bozigian then requests a response from Parker stating:
“I would request your immediate response, today if possible, to these concerns. Your response will in large part shape my recommendation to the City Council as to the City’s future relationship with AVHRTF.”* (Italics added for emphasis)
The timing of these events, the tone of the emails and the fact that they were made public before the vote of the Task Force at best give only an “appearance” of vindictiveness and at worst may imply that those in the highest positions at City Hall are willing to “punish” those who challenge them.
Some might say that I am jumping to conclusions or trying to be “incendiary” in order to gain more readers for the paper. However, I feel that certain incidents as of late may be indicative of a pattern of retribution for those who have butt heads with the Mayor or those working for him.
When the Cedar Center Board’s legitimacy was called into question and a new board was installed, members of the old board made it clear they intended to fight and take the matter to Court. Soon after two members of that board were arrested by LA County Sheriffs. It appears that the charges against both members may be somewhat legitimate; but again it is the timing that raises questions.
The problem with these recent “coincidences” is that not only do they do a disservice to those who live in Lancaster, but cast a shadow over several other aspects of the community as a whole.
For instance, if these incidents are in fact “retaliation”, then is it wise to vote for an extended term limit for the Mayor or any other city official? Furthermore, in light of recent events I would encourage Lancaster residents to re-think the “Eye in the Sky” program as well. This particular program is dubious even if it was run by the “perfect” city government and downright scary within the context of these recent events.
I would also like to know where the other members of the Lancaster City Council stand. What do they think about what is going on between the City and the AVHRTF? So far we have not heard much from the other members either way. As elected officials it is their duty to be a voice for the community and when it comes to the events surrounding the Task Force, the community has been far from silent.
I think that we as a community need to have an open dialogue about what exactly is going on. Again, no one can prove that the actions taken by the city are truly payback, but mere fact that they lend that appearance is a grave disservice to citizens and I feel is an indication of some officials willing to put politics and power ahead of their responsibility to the community. Individuals, groups and organizations need to feel safe and free to challenge their elected officials without fear of retaliation, and I have hard time believing that anyone would be able to say that is the case in Lancaster right now.
At this time it appears that the City is moving into an election mired in controversy, investigations, and potential lawsuits. If these are merely tools to take revenge on perceived political enemies, the voters and taxpayers of Lancaster are being robbed of the chance to address real issues like jobs, education, and public safety. In the end, no matter who is “right” and what the reasons are, it seems like the ultimate losers in this recent drama will be the residents of Lancaster.
