LATHROP – A verbal exchange between Mayor Kristy Sayles and Lathrop resident J. “Chaka” Santos resulted in a few awkward moments during the City Council meeting Tuesday night.
It started when Santos, during the Citizen’s Forum portion of the meeting when anyone is allowed to speak on any topic that is not on the agenda, made some remarks about Lathrop’s two-time mayor and Korean veteran Bennie Gatto being overlooked in the recognition of those who were instrumental in making the Veterans Memorial Monument a reality. Gatto was also chairman of the Veterans Memorial Committee that worked on the construction of the monument in Valverde Park. The monument was part of the $3+million park expansion which was completed in October of last year.
Toward the end of the Citizen’s Forum, Arnita Montiel went up to the podium a second time to make a correction on an announcement she made earlier. Then she added that she wanted to make a comment on what Santos said earlier about Gatto.
The awkward situation occurred when Santos loudly announced that he wanted to “comment” on Montiel’s “comment.”
Below is a transcript of the exchange that took place between the mayor and Santos, starting with Montiel’s second appearance at the podium.
Montiel: I stand corrected on the date (noting the correct date of the future event she announced earlier.) And I want to tell Mr. Chaka that no, we have ever not recognized Bennie Gatto. He was the chairman of our Veterans memorial Committee so he has never been shunned or shown disrespect.
Toward the end of her speech, Santos starts talking from the back of the room while walking toward the podium, telling the mayor he wanted to make a comment on what Montiel just said about Gatto. In the tape, Santos’s words are not audible because he was some distance from the microphone but some of his words become more audible as he gets closer to the podium: “…have my freedom of speech…; have me arrested? Go ahead and do it. I have five minutes.”
While he’s talking, the mayor says: “No, this isn’t a…,” the rest of her sentence inaudible as she speaks at the same time that Santos is speaking.
Sayles pounds the gavel. Santos continues talking.
At this point, the mayor stands up, pounds the gavel again and announces, “Recess, please,” and hangs down her head as though trying to control herself.
An awkward silence follows. Then Sayles starts to speak again in a shaking voice, her head still down: “Mr. Santos, I still run this meeting. If you would like to submit another card to our city clerk, you may do so.”
She remains standing with her head down for a while longer then sits down.
Another awkward moment follows. Then the mayor pounds the gavel again and says, “I’ll go ahead and reconvene. Mr. Santos, if you would like to submit another card to our city clerk, you may. I will re-recognize you to speak.”
(Santos says something inaudible in the videotape from the back of the room where he was standing behind the press table nearest to the front door. But the press could hear what he was saying. He was pointing out to the mayor that she allowed Montiel to make a comment without asking her to fill out another card. Each speaker who wants to address the council during the Citizen’s Forum is asked to fill out a purple card and hand that to the city clerk.)
Sayles: She (Montiel) was clarifying an incorrect date. (Santos continues to speak from the back of the room at the same time.) She was recognized by the chair.
The mayor then continues to conduct the meeting by reading the items in the consent calendar.
After the reading, Sayles calls for Santos to come up to the podium but for a limited time only: “Mr. Santos, one-minute rebuttal only.”
Santos: (He speaks really fast some of his words are not quite clear.) My rebuttal, mayor is that…. You’re very deceptive. This is business. I’ve got one minute to…. You think you’re the…. You’re wrong; you’re just gravely wrong. In our commission, you don’t give people the right recognition. This is not your commission.”
Santos was referring to the Lathrop Veterans Committee that was the moving force behind the construction of the Veterans Memorial Monument at Valverde Park.
Santos continues his one-minute speech by saying that the veterans’ committee was there long before Sayles was elected mayor, at the same time questioning why the mayor recognized the Montiels (Jim and Arnita who were members of the committee) but “never recognized” former two-time Lathrop mayor and Korean veteran Bennie Gatto.
Sayles does not offer any response or comment and proceeds with the meeting.
Deputies escorted Reichelt, a regular attendee at Lathrop council meetings (as well as those of the Manteca City Council, Manteca Unified School District board, and San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors), out of City Hall. Reichelt had just begun to speak during her allotted five minutes during the Citizen’s Forum when Sayles had City Attorney Salvador Navarrete inform Reichelt about the “no personal attack” disclaimer, according to the March 19, 2008 story in the Manteca Bulletin. Reichelt began to allege that Sayles pandered to the developers while interrupting Navarrete numerous times by citing her rights under the public meeting law, the Ralph M. Brown Act.
The mayor later explained that since Reichelt “would not stop talking,” she signaled to the deputies in the room to have Reichelt removed.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Sayles clarified her point by saying that as an elected official, she was quite OK with someone who criticizes policy or procedure and only asks “for a respectful exchange.”
Then-Vice Mayor Sonny Dhaliwal added his own comment about the incident by urging Reichelt and others to continue taking part in the process of local government.
“They have every right to participate as long as they’re not making (personal) attacks,” Dhaliwal stated.
It started when Santos, during the Citizen’s Forum portion of the meeting when anyone is allowed to speak on any topic that is not on the agenda, made some remarks about Lathrop’s two-time mayor and Korean veteran Bennie Gatto being overlooked in the recognition of those who were instrumental in making the Veterans Memorial Monument a reality. Gatto was also chairman of the Veterans Memorial Committee that worked on the construction of the monument in Valverde Park. The monument was part of the $3+million park expansion which was completed in October of last year.
Toward the end of the Citizen’s Forum, Arnita Montiel went up to the podium a second time to make a correction on an announcement she made earlier. Then she added that she wanted to make a comment on what Santos said earlier about Gatto.
The awkward situation occurred when Santos loudly announced that he wanted to “comment” on Montiel’s “comment.”
Below is a transcript of the exchange that took place between the mayor and Santos, starting with Montiel’s second appearance at the podium.
Montiel: I stand corrected on the date (noting the correct date of the future event she announced earlier.) And I want to tell Mr. Chaka that no, we have ever not recognized Bennie Gatto. He was the chairman of our Veterans memorial Committee so he has never been shunned or shown disrespect.
Toward the end of her speech, Santos starts talking from the back of the room while walking toward the podium, telling the mayor he wanted to make a comment on what Montiel just said about Gatto. In the tape, Santos’s words are not audible because he was some distance from the microphone but some of his words become more audible as he gets closer to the podium: “…have my freedom of speech…; have me arrested? Go ahead and do it. I have five minutes.”
While he’s talking, the mayor says: “No, this isn’t a…,” the rest of her sentence inaudible as she speaks at the same time that Santos is speaking.
Sayles pounds the gavel. Santos continues talking.
At this point, the mayor stands up, pounds the gavel again and announces, “Recess, please,” and hangs down her head as though trying to control herself.
An awkward silence follows. Then Sayles starts to speak again in a shaking voice, her head still down: “Mr. Santos, I still run this meeting. If you would like to submit another card to our city clerk, you may do so.”
She remains standing with her head down for a while longer then sits down.
Another awkward moment follows. Then the mayor pounds the gavel again and says, “I’ll go ahead and reconvene. Mr. Santos, if you would like to submit another card to our city clerk, you may. I will re-recognize you to speak.”
(Santos says something inaudible in the videotape from the back of the room where he was standing behind the press table nearest to the front door. But the press could hear what he was saying. He was pointing out to the mayor that she allowed Montiel to make a comment without asking her to fill out another card. Each speaker who wants to address the council during the Citizen’s Forum is asked to fill out a purple card and hand that to the city clerk.)
Sayles: She (Montiel) was clarifying an incorrect date. (Santos continues to speak from the back of the room at the same time.) She was recognized by the chair.
Lathrop Police officer approaches speaker
At this point, Lt. Chris Pehl of the Lathrop Police Services goes up to Santos and both of them step out of the room.The mayor then continues to conduct the meeting by reading the items in the consent calendar.
After the reading, Sayles calls for Santos to come up to the podium but for a limited time only: “Mr. Santos, one-minute rebuttal only.”
Santos: (He speaks really fast some of his words are not quite clear.) My rebuttal, mayor is that…. You’re very deceptive. This is business. I’ve got one minute to…. You think you’re the…. You’re wrong; you’re just gravely wrong. In our commission, you don’t give people the right recognition. This is not your commission.”
Santos was referring to the Lathrop Veterans Committee that was the moving force behind the construction of the Veterans Memorial Monument at Valverde Park.
Santos continues his one-minute speech by saying that the veterans’ committee was there long before Sayles was elected mayor, at the same time questioning why the mayor recognized the Montiels (Jim and Arnita who were members of the committee) but “never recognized” former two-time Lathrop mayor and Korean veteran Bennie Gatto.
Sayles does not offer any response or comment and proceeds with the meeting.
Mayor: Reichelt would not stop talking
In March of last year, the mayor kicked out community activist Georgianna Reichelt from the council meeting after the latter refused to stop making what the mayor deemed were personal attacks.Deputies escorted Reichelt, a regular attendee at Lathrop council meetings (as well as those of the Manteca City Council, Manteca Unified School District board, and San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors), out of City Hall. Reichelt had just begun to speak during her allotted five minutes during the Citizen’s Forum when Sayles had City Attorney Salvador Navarrete inform Reichelt about the “no personal attack” disclaimer, according to the March 19, 2008 story in the Manteca Bulletin. Reichelt began to allege that Sayles pandered to the developers while interrupting Navarrete numerous times by citing her rights under the public meeting law, the Ralph M. Brown Act.
The mayor later explained that since Reichelt “would not stop talking,” she signaled to the deputies in the room to have Reichelt removed.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Sayles clarified her point by saying that as an elected official, she was quite OK with someone who criticizes policy or procedure and only asks “for a respectful exchange.”
Then-Vice Mayor Sonny Dhaliwal added his own comment about the incident by urging Reichelt and others to continue taking part in the process of local government.
“They have every right to participate as long as they’re not making (personal) attacks,” Dhaliwal stated.
