• September 28, 2023
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Voice of OC – Irvine City Council Looks to Gut Transparency Rules, Shorten Public Comment Amid Pushback

Voice of OC — “Irvine City Council members on Tuesday are set to discuss removing many of the public transparency measures their predecessors installed, clearing the way to limit residents’ chances to speak at the meeting and hamstring other council members’ comments.” “For years, the city has had one of the strongest open meeting policies […]

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Darkness

Darkness in the Afternoon: City Council Poised to Gut Sunshine Ordinance, Sharply Restrict Public Comments

At its meeting at 4:00pm next Tuesday, March 22, the City Council will consider a proposal by Mayor Farrah Khan and Councilmember Mike Carroll to drastically change Irvine’s Sunshine Ordinance. Agenda Item 5.1 proposes an ordinance that would shorten the time required for publication of Council and commission agendas by nearly 50%. It would also […]

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Sunshine Ordinance Saved For Now. Will Agenda Item 4.4 Be Used to Revoke It?

On Tuesday, November 9, 2021, the City Council “deleted” Consent Calendar Item 2.8 “Rescinding City Council Ordinance No. 18-10 [Irvine’s Sunshine Ordinance] relating to Brown Act Agenda Procedures” from the meeting agenda. We view this as a temporary victory and thank all those who signed the petition. However, the City Council can add the 2nd […]

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Sunshine Ordinance

Opinion: Let The Sunshine In: Debunking Bogus Arguments for Repeal of the Sunshine Ordinance

The latest battle in the Irvine City Council majority’s ongoing war on transparency and accountability will come to a head at its next meeting at 4:00PM Tuesday afternoon. On the “consent calendar,” which is likely to be taken up during the first hour of the meeting, is the final vote on a proposal to repeal […]

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Sunshine Ordinance

Editorial: Oppose the Plan to Repeal Irvine’s Sunshine Ordinance

A government that wants less transparency is a government that cannot be trusted. As the saying goes, “Democracy dies in darkness.” The proposal by Vice-Mayor Tammy Kim and Council Member Mike Carroll to eliminate Irvine’s Sunshine Ordinance is a radical departure from the city’s unanimous position in favor of the ordinance just three years ago. […]

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City logo

Councilmembers Tammy Kim and Mike Carroll Seek to Rescind Irvine’s Sunshine Ordinance

This Tuesday, October 26, 2021, Vice Mayor Tammy Kim and Councilmember Mike Carroll seek to rescind City Council ordinance 18-10, which is Irvine’s Sunshine Ordinance. On October 23, 2018, the Irvine City Council made the first of two votes toward approving a Sunshine Ordinance that would enhance government transparency by making agendas available 12 days […]

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Violations of Irvine’s Sunshine Ordinance Continue at OC Great Park Board Meetings

* Agenda creation and publication oversight is sorely needed for Irvine’s public business meetings * Last night’s OC Great Park Board (“Board”) meeting presented a completely different Great Park Project Development Progress Report (“Report”) than the one provided to the public prior to the meeting. Changes included adding in plans for the library, Cultural Center, […]

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Op-Ed: City Manager John Russo’s $24k Raise Request

In July 2018, the City Council, led by then Mayor Don Wagner, replaced long-standing City Manager Sean Joyce with John Russo. Joyce had served our city for 12 years while Russo had just been fired by the City of Riverside, but that didn’t stop the 2016-18 City Council from hiring Russo. Currently, Russo is in […]

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City Hall

2/12/19 – City Council Meeting Highlights

Present were: Mayor Wagner and Council Members Farrah Khan, Anthony Kuo, Christina Shea and Melissa Fox. Barclay Theatre to enlarge program to make room for community and UCI shows and performances Irvine Barclay Theatre, a non-profit that receives city funding, presented a report for the purpose of transparency.  Report by Jerry Mandel, Barclay Theatre President: […]

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Sunshine Ordinance to Include the Land Trust

On November 19, 2018, The Board of Directors held its monthly meeting and per correspondence from Executive Director, Mark Asturias, “decided to open its meetings to the public beginning with its next regularly scheduled meeting. The Board anticipates that the open meeting format will allow members of the community to come, hear and be heard on […]

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