CORRESPONDENCE - #22 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Wojaczynski, Brittany From: Victor Payan <vpayan@alumni.stanford.edu> Sent: Friday, August 12, 2022 2:21 PM To: Macedonio, Margarita Cc: Soto, Daniel; Ridge, Kristine; eComment; Gomez, Daisy Subject: Complaint: Stifling of Community Input re: Cypress Fire Station Hello, Margarita, I am writing you to register a formal complaint and bring to your attention a new instance at this week's Pacific Park Neighborhood Association meeting regarding attempts to stifle discussion and input about an important matter on the agenda relating to the Santa Ana Police Department. I brought this to your colleague's attention at Tuesday's meeting and requested that he communicate my concerns to you. During the public discussion of the SAPD's plans to commence operations at the Roosevelt Walker Center, I was asking several questions about the project when a member of the audience aggressively insisted I stop talking, under the premise that I was preventing others from speaking. There were no hands raised or indications that anyone else was trying to speak on the issue at the time. To the contrary, everyone in the room was listening intently. This occurred prior to the SAPID representative having the opportunity to answer my questions. As no one was waiting to speak, I finished my questions, and the officer was allowed to answer. The community input followed for several additional questions, as people were interested in learning more about this proposal. Selica, who was running the meeting, rushed discussion to a close and moved on to the other agenda items. The discussion was not inordinately long, and the entire meeting was less than an hour in duration, so there was no need to close discussion before community input and questions were over. As you recall, I brought to your attention the incident at the June 14 Pacific Park Neighborhood Association meeting, which you witnessed, of Selica Diaz trying to stifle discussion and input regarding plans for the SAPID to bring the PAAL program to the Cypress Fire Station. She aggressively interrupted me and tried to stop me from talking in the same manner as the individual at this week's meeting. In both cases, I asserted my right to provide input and for the community to be allowed to provide input and ask questions without coercion or intimidation to stop, from Selica or anyone else. At that time, I indicated to you that such egregious and inappropriate stifling of community discussion undermined the basic function of the Neighborhood Associations. I also indicated it was especially inappropriate for the co -leader of the Park Neighborhood Association to railroad the community into a situation that they do not want. This is now two times that I bring to your attention attempts to stifle community discussion around SAPID issues relating to our neighborhood. Additionally, after each incident I have also witnessed Selica approach community members in private discussions that appear to be "explaining" the issue to lobby support for the SAPID. This is also unacceptable from a Neighborhood Association leader.