Laurel Plaza development is on the Oakley City Council agenda Tuesday night, at 6:30 p.m. My thoughts are that the citizens of Oakley have been “kept in the dark” regarding the project. The lack of available information has gone on for years. Only reluctantly has the community been adequately informed of the proposals, at least in my perception. Currently, the final CEQA report issued for public review occurred at the last minute, without adequate notice for a community member to digest the material. The same goes for the Conditional Use Permits (CUP) proposal. Bryan Montgomery, in my mind, sees this as “outstanding community management.”
I know I have been “out of the loop” with Montgomery’s replacement or even the Interim City Manager. I heard of his leaving “by accident.” When I challenged him on the matter, Montgomery said he had texted me earlier in the week concerning his resignation. When I said I had not received the text, his reply was, “you must have erased it.”
Montgomery. Councilmember Higgins, Councilmember Pope, and City Attorney Derek Cole met together before I knew of Montgomery’s resignation and decided who to bring to a closed Council session for appointment as Interim City Manager.
I do not believe the Oakley citizens have the respect they deserve. The knowledge that the Laurel Plaza project lacked the transparency I prefer in government will be in my mind as I listen on the dais and make a decision to approve the Laurel Plaza development.
George Fuller City Councilmember, City of Oakley
