Disciplining a Childish Council

We are the unfortunate owners of one of the most dysfunctional city councils in California history. The Thousand Oaks council members are so involved in their petty games that we cannot trust them to do even the simplest things required to run a city. We can only expect a meeting that is filled with insults and acrimony and very little meaningful content.

What hurts most is that, if they listened to each other and didn’t try so hard to show each other up, they have the talent to be a good council. They are not incompetents, but they sure seem to be emotionally incapable of working together.

The solution to our city’s problems isn’t to be found in a recall election. The solution will only be found when the people of this city regularly attend the City Council meetings and demand that the council courteously listen to them. We should require the censure of any council member who makes vicious and untrue statements about other members. We should require the council to participate sincerely in civil and meaningful debates that lead to decisions that show a true concern for all the people of the city. We should demand that all their debates demonstrate a search for the truth.

Zeanah recall supporters, I implore you to withdraw your recall petition before you light a fuse on a political bomb that will ultimately rupture the political fiber of this city, that will destroy the influence of the Chamber of Commerce and that will lead to the recall of the council members that you support. You have the chance to do a courageous and statesmanlike act that all thinking citizens will look upon with favor now and in the future. Stop the madness!

LEE LAXDAL, Thousand Oaks

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As a longtime resident of Thousand Oaks, I am appalled and ashamed of our City Council. This latest episode concerning the juvenile, amateurish fliers handed out by Councilwoman Zeanah has severed any remaining possibility of our City Council functioning for this city.

That being said, the trio of Andy Fox, Judy Lazar and Mike Markey were also petulant and juvenile in passing over Zeanah for mayor pro tem and denying Linda Parks’ initial nominee for the Planning Commission. Fox and Markey have no place denying some involvement in the Zeanah recall effort. It is time for the voters of Thousand Oaks to get the City Council back on track. Sign the petitions to recall all three and hold the election a year earlier.

GARY ANDERSON, Thousand Oaks