Democracy in El Paso Is under Attack

How City Management wants your Open Space Advisory Board to operate

This is a critical message. Charlie Wakeem, the Chairman of the Open Space Advisory Board, explains the seriousness of the situation:

Friends,

Item 9 on the City Council Tuesday, April 13 agenda is the important Open Space Advisory Board Enabling Ordinance. The changes include recommendations requested by OSAB in which City Council directed Halff Associates to submit a report. Several of the key provisions, including advise to the CPC and including the Hillside Development Area, are not being recommended by Halff Associates and would severely limit the effectiveness of the Board if excluded – i.e., if the Halff report is accepted. Following is the attachment under Item 9 with the Parks Department Summary and the Halff Report.

http://www.elpasotexas.gov/muni_clerk/agenda/04-13-10/04131009.pdf

You can sign up to speak with the City Clerk at cityclerk@elpasotexas.gov.

Charlie Wakeem
Chairman, OSAB

OSAB recommended to Council at the end of 2009 to include the responsibilities of the Mountain Committee. A Rep. Susie Byrd amendment to an ordinance sunsetting the Mountain Committee placed those responsibilities under OSAB and not under the CPC. When a written copy of the ordinance came back, the intention of Council was not included. In other words, the critical paragraph about the Mountain Committee responsibilities had not been included as Council had directed by vote. Several of us pointed this out and Council once again voted for its inclusion and, under advise from staff, asked Halff to report how best OSAB could best proceed. I believe that, under pressure from City non-elected management, the Halff report came back watering down OSAB responsibilities – something I predicted in an earlier e-letter to you. Background here and here.

If City staff prevails to thwart the intentions and two previous votes of Council, then your Open Space Advisory Board will be no more than a sub-committee of Parks and Recreation – a dysfunctional relationship which failed to work in the past. It will be powerless to fulfill the vision and mission statement of City Council and the people of El Paso.

More than open space is threatened here. Democracy in El Paso is under attack.

I sincerely hope that many of you can make tomorrow morning’s meeting of City Council. I suggest getting there by 9 a.m.