Home
News
ENLARGE
Nevada City City Council voted 3-2 Monday night to reject a resolution urging the impeachment of the nation's president and vice president.
Local residents packed City Hall, many of them to express their support of the resolution, although opinions were mixed. One of the main issues of contention was whether presidential impeachment fell under the purview of city government.
Monday's vote was among the first contentious ones in a council that saw two incumbents replaced by Barbara Coffman and Sheila Stein in the June election.
Similar resolutions have been passed in 22 other cities, such as Berkeley, Fairfield, Arcada and other parts of the nation, according to Americans for Constitutional Integrity, the group that brought the resolution before the council.
According to Robert Lobell of ACI, "Chronic and substantial incompetence is a legitimate basis for initiating an impeachment investigation." He cited privatization of forests for logging and mining, depletion of the National Guard and a likely poor response from FEMA during a disaster as local reasons for impeachment.
"Don't give us the Berkeley image," said Brad Collier, who opposed the resolution because of the image it would give Nevada City. "Do you want to turn (Nevada City) into a forum for radicalism?"
Local residents packed City Hall, many of them to express their support of the resolution, although opinions were mixed. One of the main issues of contention was whether presidential impeachment fell under the purview of city government.
Monday's vote was among the first contentious ones in a council that saw two incumbents replaced by Barbara Coffman and Sheila Stein in the June election.
Similar resolutions have been passed in 22 other cities, such as Berkeley, Fairfield, Arcada and other parts of the nation, according to Americans for Constitutional Integrity, the group that brought the resolution before the council.
According to Robert Lobell of ACI, "Chronic and substantial incompetence is a legitimate basis for initiating an impeachment investigation." He cited privatization of forests for logging and mining, depletion of the National Guard and a likely poor response from FEMA during a disaster as local reasons for impeachment.
"Don't give us the Berkeley image," said Brad Collier, who opposed the resolution because of the image it would give Nevada City. "Do you want to turn (Nevada City) into a forum for radicalism?"
Collier also mentioned the need to approve Measure S, a half-cent sales tax measure for road and sidewalk projects, as a reason to not divide Nevada City at this time. A resolution supporting Measure S appeared on Monday's agenda.
In a discussion which lasted about an hour and a half, several residents urged the council not to worry about potential political repercussions of adopting a resolution to impeach President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney.
"Forget about the politics. ... Be brave," said Catherine Bennet, owner of the U.S. Hotel.
An image of the "city that had a backbone" would be a good one, Virginia Moran said, adding that the U.S. has lost goodwill under the current administration and tourism might increase if Nevada City adopted a resolution supporting impeachment.
Some residents said continuing the war in Iraq and the misinformation leading up to it were grounds for impeachment.
Russ Osman-Bravard, a teacher at Deer Creek whose son is a soldier in Iraq, said he wasn't worried about the city's image but was "worried about my son."
In a discussion which lasted about an hour and a half, several residents urged the council not to worry about potential political repercussions of adopting a resolution to impeach President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney.
"Forget about the politics. ... Be brave," said Catherine Bennet, owner of the U.S. Hotel.
An image of the "city that had a backbone" would be a good one, Virginia Moran said, adding that the U.S. has lost goodwill under the current administration and tourism might increase if Nevada City adopted a resolution supporting impeachment.
Some residents said continuing the war in Iraq and the misinformation leading up to it were grounds for impeachment.
Russ Osman-Bravard, a teacher at Deer Creek whose son is a soldier in Iraq, said he wasn't worried about the city's image but was "worried about my son."
Residents disagreed about whether or not it was the council's place to take action on national issues.
Barbara Hartnick, who like many others said she didn't plan on speaking Monday, told those in favor of the resolution to "get on the phone and contact their congressman."
President Bush is expected to visit the congressional district in October to help raise funds for incumbent Rep. John Doolittle (R-Roseville). Challenger Charlie Brown (D-Roseville) faces Doolittle on Nov. 7 in a hotly contested election.
Mayor Steve Cottrell and Councilor David McKay voted to adopt the resolution, with Cottrell giving an example of racism he saw years ago as a reason for his decision.
"I intend to stand up tonight," Cottrell said.
Vice Mayor Sally Harris, Coffman and Stein voted to drop the resolution, saying it was not in the best interests of Nevada City and that this was not the proper arena for the resolution.
Barbara Hartnick, who like many others said she didn't plan on speaking Monday, told those in favor of the resolution to "get on the phone and contact their congressman."
President Bush is expected to visit the congressional district in October to help raise funds for incumbent Rep. John Doolittle (R-Roseville). Challenger Charlie Brown (D-Roseville) faces Doolittle on Nov. 7 in a hotly contested election.
Mayor Steve Cottrell and Councilor David McKay voted to adopt the resolution, with Cottrell giving an example of racism he saw years ago as a reason for his decision.
"I intend to stand up tonight," Cottrell said.
Vice Mayor Sally Harris, Coffman and Stein voted to drop the resolution, saying it was not in the best interests of Nevada City and that this was not the proper arena for the resolution.
In other news:
• Monday's agenda contained a proposed resolution supporting Sales Tax Ballot Measure S, the half-cent sales tax to be voted on Nov. 7.
If approved by two-thirds of voters, Measure S is expected raise $7 million for road and sidewalk projects in Nevada City over 16 years. Leaders of the Measure S campaign have expressed concern that residents consider road work complete now that Boulder Street has been repaved.
• City clerk Cathy Wilcox-Barnes was not transcribing minutes at Monday's meeting. She plans to meet with the City Council and City Attorney Jim Anderson in a closed session Oct. 2, according to her attorney, M. Catherine Jones. City Manager Mark Miller will not be present at the meeting, Jones said.
Wilcox-Barnes's full-time office operations position was eliminated in June by a City Council that included two councilors that had been voted out. After being placed on leave in April, Wilcox-Barnes said she had previously brought to Miller's attention problems with the government that outside investigators were hired to research.
ooo
To reach staff writer Josh Singer, e-mail joshs@theunion.com or call 477-4234.
• Monday's agenda contained a proposed resolution supporting Sales Tax Ballot Measure S, the half-cent sales tax to be voted on Nov. 7.
If approved by two-thirds of voters, Measure S is expected raise $7 million for road and sidewalk projects in Nevada City over 16 years. Leaders of the Measure S campaign have expressed concern that residents consider road work complete now that Boulder Street has been repaved.
• City clerk Cathy Wilcox-Barnes was not transcribing minutes at Monday's meeting. She plans to meet with the City Council and City Attorney Jim Anderson in a closed session Oct. 2, according to her attorney, M. Catherine Jones. City Manager Mark Miller will not be present at the meeting, Jones said.
Wilcox-Barnes's full-time office operations position was eliminated in June by a City Council that included two councilors that had been voted out. After being placed on leave in April, Wilcox-Barnes said she had previously brought to Miller's attention problems with the government that outside investigators were hired to research.
ooo
To reach staff writer Josh Singer, e-mail joshs@theunion.com or call 477-4234.
