The City Council chambers were packed to overflow Wednesday night as supporters of The Sonoma Academy of Dance & Arts, and opponents of its plan to host evening events, gathered to speak to a ruling that would effectively decide the fate of the school.
After a bizarre sequence of political protocol, the issue remains unsettled.
The meeting began its strange turn when Mayor Steve Barbose excused himself, citing
what he said could be “an appearance of impropriety, though none exist,” based on the proximity of his law office with that of counsel for the Academy.
Next, Councilmember August Sebastiani announced he too would not participate, given a potential bias for the school attended by his two daughters. The exits left three members on the dais.
Then the real drama began.
“I think we have a dilemma,” announced Interim City Attorney Jeffrey Walters. “I recommend we not take testimony tonight.”
Walters explained that a potential conflict of interest had arisen with a third member of the council, and that the panel could be subject to complaints of bias if it were to proceed.
Walters said he learned of the concern too late to get advice from the California Fair Political Practices Commission, and so advised the most cautious approach: the conflict would be assumed to exist and the councilmember would not participate. Given the prior departures, that would have left only two members to hear the item – one short of a legal quorum.
Walters said he was truly apologetic about making the recommendation, “but I feel duty-bound to do so.” The conflict issues should be settled by the next meeting, he said, which will likely be held within 20 days.
As the disappointed crowd filed out, Councilmember Laurie Gallian said,“This issue is too important not to have a full and proper hearing. I want to do it once, and do it right.”
Councilmember Ken Brown took the evening’s oddity in stride. “I’ve sat up here for 11 years,” he said. “Nothing truly surprises me.”
