City Clerk, May I Have Recording of July Parking Commission Meeting?

Editor's note: This letter originally was sent to La Mesa City Clerk Mary Kennedy and is posted here with permission of the author.

To the editor:

There is currently a public discussion as to whether Parking Commissioner James Wieboldt has formally asked City Attorney Sabine to attend the next meeting to discuss possible censure of Commissioner Laura Lothian.

I am informed that all proceedings of the Parking Commission are audio recorded onto CD. Please consider this my request under California's Public Records Act for a CD of the 7/19/11 hearing. I only seek the recording, and not the minutes or other documents awaiting approval.

I understand that shortly prior to the next meeting, the CD and minutes are customarily presented to the commissioners for approval before minutes are posted online, but I believe the PRA supercedes local policy as to the recording, which exists as a permanent record independent of commission approval.

My apologies for using the PRA rather than a less formal procedure but this is a time-sensitive matter about an issue of public concern and only the PRA guarantees responses within a statutory time frame.  At the next meeting I hope to speak to the First Amendment implications of any such request and will be unduly burdened without access to the verbatim record.

I am willing to pay reasonable copying costs and may be reached at the above address if you have any questions or I can help expedite this request in any way.

Thanks,

Bill Jaynes
La Mesa