The “open mic night” that the San Diego City Council's Charter Review Committee held wasn’t as popular as some might have liked.
Thursday night the public was given a chance to weigh in on what they’d like to change in the document that acts as city’s constitution, but only one person spoke.
Beryl Flom, chairwoman of the League of Women Voters of San Diego's charter review committee, took to the floor to express her support for changing the way some of the city's elections are run. She said her organization supports the idea of "limiting referendum votes on community plans to the council districts in which the community is located.”
Barrio Logan's community plan update was defeated last yearby a referendum in a citywide vote.
While there was limited popularity for the portion of the meeting Council President Sherri Lightner dubbed "open mic night" because it allowed speakers to talk about any changes they'd like to see made in the charter, many people spoke on other topics scheduled for discussion.
The Charter Review Committee considered increasing the authority of the Citizens' Review Board on Police Practices, which looks into complaints against officers. The board reviews complaints made against officers for things such as excessive force, but it has no subpoena power, ability to conduct its own investigations or requirement that it publish its findings.
Brian Pollard, head of the southeastern San Diego advocacy group Urban Collaborative Project, said while he believes San Diego police officers do good work, more oversight of the department is needed.
“I live in southeastern San Diego, and the fear I have is one day one bad cop can instantly convert southeast San Diego to a Ferguson or to a Baltimore," Pollard said. "No one wants that. A fair and more transparent system will ensure more equity, and what we badly, badly need is more checks and balances."
The committee voted unanimously to refer the issue to the City Council's Public Safety and Livable Neighborhoods Committee, which can look into whether language in the charter needs to be changed to increase the police review board's power. Any changes made to the City Charter require a public vote.
The committee also discussed a change in the charter that would allow construction of a new building for the Museum School, a charter school just outside Balboa Park. The school wants to build inside the park, and the Charter Review Committee could decide to propose adding language to the City Charter allowing or prohibiting educational organizations to lease or build facilities in Balboa Park.
Kevin Swanson spoke against the idea.
“Balboa Park was established in 1868, and from the moment it was established it was under attack," he said. "Allowing an individual institution to take park land away from the public is essentially to me a crime.”
