Minutes 1955 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Ar 0) e- ' Councilman Paul Jones proposed that Mr. Wilfred J. McKeegan be fired from his position in the City Government because Mr. McKeegan in exercise of his inalien- able rights of citizenship did not see eye to eye with Mr. Jones, and his Council colleagues on a legitimate controversial issue which was being submitted to the electorate for decision. In short, because Mr. McKeegan worked for the City (incidentally, without pay) he was expected to disfranchise himself as far as any opinion of his own was concerned, and vote or act as his political bosses told him. The official records of the Council may have been cleared of the discussions of Councilman Jones' proposal to discharge Mr. McKeegan from the Redwood City Library Board, but the irreparable damage done Mr. McKeegan can not be so easily erased from the public mind, due to the widespread newspaper and radio publicity given this shameful affair. If these tactics were upheld against Mr. McKeegan, the same could be applied to every other employee of Redwood City: There would be none of the constitutional safeguards for any city employee. 111 I also term extremely poor judgment shown by Mayor Sidney Herkner in asking Councilman Jones if he wished to present his proposal in the form of a motion; and the suggestion of Councilman Carl Britschgi that, quote "Ask Mr. McKeegan to appear before the City Council in a study session and give him a chance to explain his views" unquote - -- as if Mr. McKeegan were guilty of some crime or illegal act, instead of exercising his constitutional rights in a free American democratic election. We, as members of the Redwood City Taxpayers Association, and as citizens of this community and of this great Nation, firmly believe in the American Principle of free speech, press and thought, and can not allow to pass unnoticed, this fla- grant attempt to stifle those privileges; nor can we subscribe to the principle that because an individual has voluntarily or otherwise entered public service that they must thereby forfeit their inalienable right to exercise all the prerogatives of free and independent citizenship. Thank God, in America this is a right which no man or no job can take away from him. If this Nation is to endure and the constitutional privileges of its citizens are to be safeguarded, we must be ever vigilant, and in pursuance thereof, we ask that Councilman Paul Jones resign from the Council, and that Mayor Sidney Herkner and Councilman Carl Britschgi offer public apology. Very truly yours, REDWOOD CITY TAXPAYERS ASSOCIATION (Signed) A. H. Morgan, Jr., Chairman PERSONAL APPEARANCE: MRS. D. -C. MORGAN, 3L. CENTER STREET, HAS HAD APPLICATION TO REZONE HER LOT AT 3L. CENTER STREET, SINCE JULY 1954. The Planning Commission recommended that the entire area be rezoned, after holding the necessary public hearings, which was rejected by the City Council. Mrs. Morgan has appeared before the Planning Commission in an attempt to have her property rezoned, but to date has been unsuccessful. Councilman Granger sugges- ted the possibility of the Planning Commission holding hearings toward rezoning the non- conforming area plus the rear twenty (20') feet of Mrs. Morgans property which is conti- guous. This would leave the front of the property in residential zone. Councilman Royer so moved, seconded by Councilman Stout and carried. STATE LEGISLATURE APPROVAL OF CHARTER AMENDMENTS. Mayor Herkner appointed a committee consist- ing of Councilmen Royer and Jones to investigate this matter of the apparent ambiguity of an existing ordinance controlling certain expenditures and report back, on motion of Coun- cilman Granger, MAYOR HERKNER ASKED THE COUNCIL TO CONSIDER THE MATTER OF ANOTHER MEMBER. ON THE PLANNING COM- MISSION AND ALSO THERE IS A VACANCY ON THE PERSONNEL BOARD. P.G. &E. REQUEST PERMISSION TO REPLACE TWO POWER POLES ON EAST SIDE OF EL CAMINO REAL BETWEEN BROADWAY AND BREWSTER. The company has been unable to secure the necessary easement to run the service from the rear and request a temporary permit to replace two poles which are considered to be in a dangerous condition. Councilman Britschgi moved that permit be