Editorial: Demand openness from the HMB City Council

Everyone who lives in Half Moon Bay should be at Tuesday’s City Council meeting, at 7:30pm at the Adcock Center.

The new majority of the Half Moon Bay City Council plans major changes to the Planning Commission, and they will have repercussions for years to come.  Even more troubling than the specifics of the proposal (see Lani Ream’s letter on Coastsider) is the complete surprise up and down the Coastside that this is the first priority of the new council.

Bonnie McClung ran on platform that featured openness and an end to secrecy in government. But she somehow forgot to tell us the first thing she was going to do once she got into office was cut the size of the Planning Commission and eliminate its independence. Two weeks ago, she told the County Times it was part of her campaign platform. It would be interesting to know to whom she made that promise. It wasn’t the citizens of Half Moon Bay.

The new configuration of the planning commission will be discussed on Tuesday’s City Council meeting. It’s item number 10: "Discussion and Direction Relative to City Code Chapter 1.24 - Planning Commission and Chapter 2.26 - Park & Recreation Commission". I don’t know how you missed it.

Tuesday night is the time for the citizens of Half Moon Bay to tell the new City Council that they shouldn’t begin their term by delivering on a secret campaign promise.  It will also be the first opportunity for the Review to demonstrate that they’re serious about demanding openness in government, regardless of who is in charge.