Former Councilmember Maureen O’Donnell Chides Mayor Furey
Maureen O’ Donnell
2014 Jared Sydney Torrance Award Recipient
Maureen O’Donnell appeared before Council late last Tuesday evening to admonish Mayor Furey and the rest of the Council. O’ Donnell previously served on the Council for eight years and is a recent recipient of the City’s highest civic honor, the Jared Sydney Torrance award. In a sternly worded statement she related that she had been at home watching the meeting in her pajamas when she became so upset at an incident that occurred that she threw on some clothes and hurried down to City Hall.
She recalled that in her initial meeting after becoming a Councilwoman she was told by then mayor Katy Geissert that the members of the Council needed to respect each other, and that they were not to criticize or ridicule each other for decisions they made or the way they voted. In her view, it is that civility and professional conduct that has placed Torrance City Council head and shoulders above neighboring city council’s.
For that reason, she was very displeased to have heard one Councilmember criticize and ridicule another member for expressing concern about spending $30K on a phone survey to determine public sentiment on the proposed Tree Ordinance. Although she did not name anybody specifically, it seemed quite clear she was referring to an exchange between Mayor Furey and Councilmember Ashcraft in which Mayor Furey made light of Ashcraft’s concern about the survey.
O’ Donnell then advised the Council that if they ever did not like a decision of their colleagues or felt that their judgment was flawed that they should not criticize or ridicule them in public, but that they should talk to them in private.
In the same meeting, Mayor Furey and Councilmember Ashcraft also butted heads on whether the City should join the U.S. Conference of Mayors. Ashcraft opined that such a perk should be reserved for better economic times, while Mayor Furey disagreed insisting that joining the organization would help the City reach its economic development goals.
O’ Donnell’s statement can be found in its entirety here at the 04:52:00 mark.
Mayor Furey’s comments in response to Councilmember Ashcraft are located at the 04:14:50 mark of the meeting.
Interesting that she got out of bed to admonish the mayor in his behavior with the council. I never saw her get out of bed when the city council and the city lawyer are unprofessional to the regular speakers that bring on city issues. I guess there is no concern for the citizens of Torrance.
While I agree something needed to be said last Tuesday, as this is not the first time this is happening with this new council, the citizens of Torrance should also be respected with the highest regards. So please Mrs O’Donnell don’t forget the citizens that you represented for 8 years or please stay in your pajamas.
These expenditures, the League of Mayors, and the trip to China need follow up. Have the city staff report on what jobs are gained as a result of these junkets. This can’t be a free ride for the mayor. He must show results or this will be a waste of taxpayer dollars. Transparency and accountability are critical since the city is in such tight financial straits. Boondoggles cannot be tolerated.
They left the League of Cities (Tom Brewer’s baby) to join the League of Mayors. And they saved money by doing so. And do you really think going to China on behalf of the city (without his family) is a free ride for the Mayor? It isn’t a site-seeing tour…
Lets not forget that the Mayor and Council make $100 a month. Nobody is getting rich doing this thankless job. They do it to make our city better. Its not like the Mayor has a business that could possibly get a city contract after he retires. That was the last Mayor.
OMG – That exchange between the Mayor and Councilwoman Ashcraft was SOOOO heated. Are you kidding? Way to create controversy where there is none. The motion passed 7-0, including Councilwoman Ashcraft.
Does Nick Green write your blog posts?
Somebody obviously hit a nerve, three posts in about 15 minutes, and who would know whether the mayor took his family to China or not? (suspicious) The city can’t afford this nonsense. Let the mayor prove these expenses are paying dividends.
I have tried with City Hall fire department oil refinery just bellowing pressure release and flair outs I live down stream Mayor says he lives across street from refinery I don’t want to be next victim of explosion last one shook my house pretty good