Brimhall Is Biased

As a resident of Newbury Park, I want to make the local citizenry aware of what I and several of my acquaintances feel is a pro-development bias on the part of city of Thousand Oaks staff, in particular, Grant Brimhall, city manager.

Mr. Brimhall is ultimately responsible for the City Council meeting agenda. It is he and his staff who decide what issues will be discussed, and when. With that in mind, I am amazed at Mr. Brimhall’s brass in scheduling hearings on the Cohan property rezoning and the General Plan for Reino Road development, on election night, June 7. Mr. Brimhall has also scheduled hearings on the massive (2,350 homes; literally another Wood Ranch) Dos Vientos project for July 5.

Anyone with an ounce of common sense can figure out that these dates present a serious scheduling conflict for people who either vote and/or have family commitments around the July 4 holiday. This probably encompasses a large percentage of the concerned citizens likely to come to City Hall and voice their very legitimate concerns with these projects.

Scheduling can be done to be neutral, or it can be done to favor one side of an issue. Without going into all of the arcane reasons, the scheduling discussed above clearly favors pro-development forces in Conejo Valley, since it discourages dissent. As an appointee (not an elected official), it is not Mr. Brimhall’s job to unduly favor any parties in the process of government. Yet, that is precisely what he has done here.

I encourage the council to consider directing Mr. Brimhall to use nights like election night for less sensitive issues. In fact, I encourage all of the good people at City Hall to be cognizant of the upcoming November elections. The people I speak with are very edgy about local government shenanigans and are making notes to carry into the voting booth.

MICHAEL S. HUMASON

Newbury Park