Show Transcript
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You're watching Open Agenda. Here's our
host, Joe White.
>> Welcome to Open Agenda. I'm your host,
Joe White. So, on Monday, December 1st,
the Salsbury City Council had a closed
session, and this was done to select a
new candidate for district 2 that was
vacated by Deshaawn Dowy's resignation.
In the studio to discuss this process is
Dr. Joe Venosa from Salsbury. Thanks for
coming out.
>> Thank you.
>> Mr. Joe Scapino from Salsbury. Thanks
for coming out.
So gentlemen, uh this we weren't at this
meeting because it wasn't open. Uh which
I think is maybe a little bit of the
problem because we're finding out the
information through our sources, through
social media, and through some upheaval
with some folks who are not happy about
how this has gone down. Joe, I want to
ask you, I mean, a lot to cover, but no
video footage, right?
>> And yet, and yet the story still comes
out within 24 hours. And this is the
irony. You could have all the closed
sessions that you want in this day and
age.
>> Yeah. Why not just go and be
transparent?
>> Why not just be transparent?
>> Yeah.
>> Joe, you you talked about at Salsbury
City Council meeting a week ago about
who who's your enemy today could be your
ally tomorrow. U we we don't even really
know publicly. We know who the five
candidates were, but we don't it's not a
it wasn't a public discussion. So, u how
do you feel about the this whole
process? Uh I call it a sham. I mean the
public has no inkling of of what went
down of what the who these people are.
Um we it should have been an
introduction to all five and and
uh you know they can make up the public
can make up its own mind what however
the council votes but at least at least
they would would have an understanding
and and and see what's going on but the
way it's gone down. Well, what what I
want to do I want to have this in two
segments. I want to have the first
segment when we talk about what we do
know
>> and then I want to take a break and then
come back and and then talk about maybe
what we would like to see in the future
because it's one thing to identify a
problem but let's identify a solution to
the problem.
>> Great.
>> So stay with us. When we come back we're
going to break down what we do know
about the closed session meeting for
Salsbury City Council.
>> Welcome back to Open Agenda. Continuing
in the studio with us today is Dr. Joea.
Thanks for sticking around.
>> Thank you.
>> Mr. Josephino, thanks for sticking
around.
>> You got the three Joe's once again.
>> My joke. Yeah.
>> So, uh, yesterday the city of Salsbury,
they did not have an open work session
or legislative session, but they did
have a close session. And this session,
we know, was to interview and appoint
get to a point that they could appoint a
new candidate for uh, Deshawn Dowy's
spot, District 2. Uh Joe, I want to talk
what do we know because a lot of this
has leaked out through social media and
through some of our sources, but we do
know there was five applicants, right?
>> Yes. So, um and just for clarity on the
process, um essentially what happens is
you have a person who hopefully actually
lives in the district who applies. Um
they submit an application. They
sometimes get letters of support and uh
depending on if those qualifications are
met then they go before the rest of the
council in a closed session where they
actually have an interview process.
>> Okay.
>> Now ultimately according to our charter
and this is where it gets interesting is
only the city council can appoint
um which means the mayor doesn't have
any role in that. Um there's no
variation on excuse me there there's no
caveat for if there's a tie. All right.
And this kind of leads to the the issue
that we're going to probably
four current county council members.
Correct. So you need a three to one or a
four to zero.
>> You got to break the impass and that's
part of the issue.
>> Can let's talk about the five people who
did apply. U we know Sean Jester and
Wayne King were applicants.
>> Um we know that Jamaich Mitchell and
we've had him on the show very active in
the community. he was an applicant
>> and he stated on social media he's
talked about his his application
>> and Melissa Holland and she used to work
for the Wakcomo County Council at one
time my understanding yeah
>> and uh Natalie St. far, right? And and
Natalie has been out on social media
talking about how she's put in for an
application as well.
>> So, um any any of these folks have
history with the Salsbury City Council?
>> It's my understanding that Wayne King,
uh I believe had put in for district 2
before candidate. Well, he was a
candidate for mayor in 2019 against Jake
Day and then he put in in 2023, I
believe, for the seat that Deshaawn Dowy
ultimately got when he was first
appointed.
>> Okay.
>> So, he was no stranger to the process.
And of course, Dichel Mitchell has run
for mayor before uh and is, as you said,
very well known in the community. So, um
and Sean Jester, who is involved in
politics, but I don't believe he's ever
run for office or or has been appointed
to anything prior. Now, now ultimately,
in a way, what they're really deciding
is who is going to have control of the
city council from a president's
standpoint
>> and and you know, we have two different
sides of this. Uh we have Angela Blake
and Michelle Gregory on one side who
were uh supporters with Deshaawn Dowy.
>> Uh Deshawn was the president before he
resigned for not living in in Salsbury
anymore.
>> And Angela Blake was was his vice
president. She's been running the the
meetings since he resigned. Uh we know
Michelle Gregory has come out and said
before at the time she was going to run
for county executive and now she's not.
But that was kind of one grouping on the
Salsbury city council. And on the other
side we've had April Jackson and and
Sharon Deield.
>> Correct.
>> So based off who gets approved is really
going to decide who's going to get
elected the next president and vice
president. Right.
>> Yeah. And that's and that's part of the
problem I would say uh is that you end
up having candidates at least in this
context where there's where there's sort
of two factions and it's it's deadlocked
at 22. It's really it it it's a vote not
for maybe who is the most qualified or
who is the most active in the community.
It's who can play the kingmaker for that
third vote. Not just on who becomes the
president or vice president but also who
pushes bills through.
>> Yeah. Because right now, and this is
something that has to be said, the city
council has has been remarkably inactive
at pushing any kind of legislation. This
is the thing that I've been very
critical of and others is, you know, we
they've talked for years about an
affordable housing ordinance, something
that every other municipality in the
state has. They've never pushed it. Um,
part of that, I think, is because of the
influence of the developers on some of
them. Uh, part of it, I think, is just
also that there's just a general
incompetence with some of these council
members. Well, I mean, when I go to view
the Salsbury City Council for when we're
editing the show, for instance, it's
it's frustrating for me, and I'm not a
Salsbury resident or a city taxpayer,
that they they bring up an item in work
session. Let's talk about affordable
housing. And that was actually one of
our goals this week was to cover some of
that. That's what's been coming up
lately.
>> They get done with a work session like,
well, we need to talk about this more.
>> Yeah. You're you're talking about this
third really this fifth council person
is going to be able to kind of help
shape what direction those policies go.
Right.
>> Correct. Yeah.
>> So, uh at the end of the day they had
>> interviews and and a close session to
have discussion
>> and our understanding is that Melissa
Holland has been selected.
>> Correct. Correct. Um now again and I
don't know anything about Miss Holland.
Um for all I know maybe you know she was
legitimately the most qualified person.
Um, I I I think others have said that
they didn't really know anything about
her involvement in the community, and I
think that was one critique. But but
here's here's the broader concern, and
and I and I and I'm going to let Mr. J.
Michael Mitchell speak on this later uh
in the week because he's certainly going
to talk about it uh at the upcoming
council meeting, and I believe he's even
going to do a live stream. But he's
talking about the fact that the process
of how the interviews were conducted,
the comments of some council members
during the previous week kind of let
people know that they were not going to
vote for certain people ahead of time.
And I think that's that's a pretty big
problem in this process is when you have
members who are already, you know,
taking a position before the interview
happens purely based on what you said,
which is who can be the third vote on
the council. Well, especially without
the public's ability to view this. And
and Joe, I want to ask you when you go
to Sailsbury City Council, uh you have
you you have spoken about affordability
issues and development issues. Uh even
uh just other policies. At the end of
the day, there there's a there's a
transparent window there. Uh whether you
agree with what they're doing or not, uh
you didn't get that here. How do you
feel about how this process went from
your your perspective? It was a sham in
my opinion
as Joe mentioned. Um it's it's 22 and
there's nothing in the charter to break
a tie,
>> right?
>> A deadlock. And that's that's something
that absolutely should be addressed by
the next council.
>> Whether it's the mayor,
>> which makes sense.
>> Yeah.
>> Um
>> and and not only that, it's my
understanding that the council
specifically forbade anyone from the
mayor's office at sitting in on the
meeting. Now, that is up to the to the
discretion of the council to allow that
or not, but for example, it's also my
understanding that the mayor's office um
basically allowed council members to be
on the hiring committee that hired the
new city manager.
>> Okay.
>> But on the other hand,
>> reciprocity, reciprocity, at least from
my understanding, particularly Angela
Blake's perspective, was that, you know,
she wasn't going to allow that. And and
I think that's again, okay, you can be
political adversaries, you can have
totally different views, but you should
always support maximum transparency.
>> Well, you know, it's something I
mentioned at at the council meeting. You
know, um
>> today's today's political opponents
could be tomorrow's political ally. So
you don't personally attack someone and
and we've seen that at council where
where Michelle Gregory and Angel Blake
have continually every opportunity
they've attacked the mayor
>> and the mayor to his credit keeps us
cool. I mean he doesn't lower himself to
their level.
>> He's fought back but at the same time in
a in a
>> diplomatically. Yeah.
>> Well and and and again just for
clarification you know it's important
too that we have to understand that
these fights are not inherently partisan
either. Right. April Jackson's a
Democrat. Oh, absolutely.
>> Uh J Mitchell, Democrat. You know, it's
my understanding that they were dead set
against, and specifically what I mean is
Michelle Gregory and Andrew Blake were
dead set against J. Michael Mitchell
because again, it's my understanding
that he was not going to be a rubber
stamp for their advancement, for their
agenda, and that they were kind of, I
guess, angry that there were issues of
common ground that he and the mayor and
the other members agreed on, which you
would hope for in a supposedly
nonpartisan city government. Um, and
what's what's ironic is that, you know,
Miss Gregory and Mr. Mitchell were both
on the Democratic Central Committee
together not too long ago.
>> And and we had always had a saying back
back in Pennsylvania. You know, you when
you're on council, you're not a
Republican, you're not a Democrat,
you're a Salisbury first party. And we
don't have that here.
>> Well, and we we have seen that in other
uh council meetings where there has been
faction. I mean whether it's Sharon
Deield doing a presentation on housing
affordability and then there's really no
discussion. They just move on. Yeah.
>> And then we're talking about parking
spaces and where does the mayor mayor
park,
>> right? Well, and and you know to to your
point, I remember something that
Councilman Dave Enis said to me not not
too long ago. He said, you know, when
you watch at least from you know, we
were talking about the county council
meeting, but I I think this applies to
all venues. He says, "When you watch a
council meeting, you really shouldn't be
able to tell the party of the person
because a a lot of the issues that
you're dealing with are not inherently
partisan." Exactly.
>> And B, you know, you you represent
everybody regardless of whatever letter
is next to your name, at least it
should. And I think people, some people,
particularly on the city council,
because they tend to live in an echo
chamber online and and because they
maybe have never had political
competition, they kind of uh, you know,
they get high on their own supply, so to
speak of, you know, political rhetoric.
Yeah.
>> Well, so the most likely outcome here is
because
someone that Angela Blake and Michelle
Gregory have supported, it's probably
going to continue to be uh the Salsbury
City Council president is probably going
to run through those two ladies,
wouldn't you say? I suspect and and and
again I don't know anything about Miss
Holland and her and and in terms of her
stance on issues, but I have to think
that the reason why ultimately um she
she got the vote at least for um from
Angela Blake and Michelle Gregory is
because they felt that they could
influence her to vote for uh Angela as
the new president. I I mean I think
that's pretty clear.
>> All right. So then the voting for the
next president of the Salsbury City
Council, that's going to be done in open
session. It will. It'll be done on the
ETH.
>> Okay. So, the the next meeting is
Monday, December 8th, 6 o'clock. Yes.
Government office building.
>> And and I believe several people from
the community, including J. Michael
Mitchell and a few others. I mean, I'm
I'm planning to speak, too, are going to
talk about the process and about some of
the concerns that we have in the public
about the lack of transparency.
>> Yeah. At the Monday, December 8th
meeting, there will be a a legislative
session and a work session, but they
will have to elect new officers in the
open legislative session. Correct.
>> Yes. Yes. All right. And uh I want to
take a break. When we come back, you
have some experience, Joe, in this
process. And I want to dig down, not for
folks to really rehash everything that's
happened here this week, but to
understand the what the process is going
forward and maybe what changes the
public should be asking for.
>> Sure. Great.
>> So stay with us. We'll be right back.
>> Welcome back to Open Agenda, gentlemen.
Thanks for sticking around. And uh Joe,
Dr. Dr. Driven, I want to ask you
specifically about your experience back
in 2023 with applying to fill in a a
role for a vacated uh city council seat.
>> Yeah. Um so in early 2023 um in district
3, which is where I live, which is
currently represented by Sharon Dashil,
uh there was a vacancy and what
essentially happened was uh there were
four people who applied for that vacancy
in the district. It was and again much
like now it was, you know, a four there
were four people on on the um council
hoping to get that fifth seat and they
put out a a a notice and we applied. I
had my CV. I asked a few people in the
community if I could, you know, if they
could be my references and all that. So,
they had to vouch for me. God helped
them. And um then they set up an
interview.
>> Okay. So, what was the interview like?
Well, that's that's I think what
concerns me the most is I have this
distinct memory of um sitting in the,
you know, the little um lobby outside of
the city council chambers, which we
often are at if there's an overflow, you
know, in a crowded uh evening for a
meeting. And they were calling people,
you know, one at a time in. And I
remember there was a moment waiting for
the interview process where somebody who
I knew who who was affiliated in city in
city government. Uh they didn't work
directly uh as the clerk or for the
clerk, but they were sort of
tangentially um employed in in that part
of city government. And they they sort
of made the the off-hand comment, well,
you know, good luck, but they've already
chosen Megan.
>> Wow.
>> And it it really
>> blessings.
>> It it does. It does. And at the time,
you know, I was pretty ignorant of of
that and didn't really know the full
picture. But, you know, in in hindsight,
I found it interesting that during my
interview, there were very few questions
about the actual like, well, what would
you bring to city government? It was
literally I I'll never forget Michelle
Gregory asked like, "What are your
extracurricular activities?" And I was
like, "Well, I play in a band, you know,
whatever. Um, I read books, things like
that." But, you know, as the interview
went on, it kind of confirmed to me it's
like, okay, this this clearly is is sort
of just going through the motions. And
and I've been on hiring committees
before where, you know, you get a sense
of who might be a serious candidate and
who is not, but you always do your due
diligence. You always ask the same
questions and you always stick to the
issue of why you want them on the on the
council. and and you know knowing that
Angela Blake and Michelle Gregory uh
were very affiliated with Shore Progress
and the political machine that Miss
Outton and Jared Shyline are kind of
tied to I think explains some of perhaps
that um preddecided decision-m
um
and it kind of left a really bad taste
in my mouth because it kind of showed
you that people don't really seem at
least from my from my experience seem to
go into it um with the best intentions,
right? That the people that are behind
the table are not really picking the
person who might be the best or most
qualified or representative of the
community, but they're looking for
somebody who they either will be
socially kind of acceptable, you know, a
a friend or they will do their bidding
on a particular agenda.
>> Well, Joe, I want to ask you, I mean,
you you served on on councils before.
You've been an elected office or you an
elected office. Have you ever been in a
position where you've had to fill a
vacant seat?
>> Yes.
>> And you mentioned in the last segment
about, well, you got to take your your
political party hat off. How did how did
you find that you were able to do that
when you were looking to fill this
vacancy back in Pennsylvania? Um, I
mean, we looked, we were, even though we
had different parties on the council, we
were all percussy first and
in general, we were looking for a
qualified candidate. So, we wanted to
know qualifications. We didn't ask about
hobbies. All right? You know, what do
you bring to the table? Um, you know,
involvement in the community. So we
certainly wanted the the best qualified
people and you know just like with the
city council there's a concern with the
new planning commission that you know
that process uh some active people I
mean Mike Langford comes to all the city
council meetings.
>> He wasn't chosen for the planning
commission. Now, here's somebody who's
involved who knows the issues
>> and I think he wasn't chosen because he
was against he was publicly against the
density uh thing. So, you know, again,
it's
the most qualified person
>> uh wasn't there's one example.
>> Yeah. Well, and to that point, you know,
I think when these people are appointed,
uh, especially if it's if it's in a
period of time where there's some big
decisions to be made and there's, you
know, some high stakes votes, I think
often they default to people who are
going to be the loyalist rather than
meaning the loyalist to other council
members or those constituencies rather
than their community. Because that
summer 2023, there were several big
votes and closed meetings that happened
that I know Miss Outton supported that I
think a lot of us would would say were
were against the public interest and
public transparency. And now the city's
in court because of it.
>> And and a lot of these closed sessions,
I mean, Bob Taylor gets up there all the
time.
>> A lot of these closed sessions are not
required to be closed. They really
should be open. And the one time I think
it was Richard Mug filed a PIA and and
the council got reprimanded said that
should not have been open. And I think
if if we did that more often it would
happen more you know these closed
sessions that that interview for for for
the council seat should have been open.
>> Well and that's actually something that
I think we need to steer the
conversation toward in the future. And I
think this something that you're Michael
Mitchell and maybe some other people
might say this next week is, you know,
if you're going to have people that are
going to represent the public, right, in
a council seat, you should have a public
form to at least allow the public to see
them and to hear their case. Now, maybe
the final vote has to be done in in in
private, although I actually think it
should be done in public as well. We had
that experience in 2020 after Bob Culver
died, and there was several candidates
that put their name forth for county
executive. That was a debacle for
months.
>> It was a debacle and and it was maybe
not the prettiest, most sort of scripted
moment, but you know what? That's the
most honest form of government is that
when you see it out in the public.
>> Yeah.
>> Um
>> Well, is that is that maybe Jerichel's
biggest weakness is, and I say weakness,
it's actually to me a strength is he's
he's in a leadership capacity in
everything he does in the community. I
mean, uh my involvement with him isn't
from a political standpoint, it's with
youth sports.
we do in different parts of the county,
>> but I love how
>> he take charge type of person.
>> Is it that strong of a personality that
some sometimes doesn't speak to other
politicos because they they really just
want this um
>> it's threatening.
>> It's Yeah. When somebody has their own
mind and and is not bound by certain
loyalties of either party or social
convention, I think that's dangerous to
the status quo. I mean, look, and again,
I want to be clear on this because I was
initially on Megan Outton's campaign
when she ran for mayor. You know, I
remember distinctly that that there were
discussions about J. Michael not quote
towing the line, and no one ever defined
what the line was, but it was just in
that case, you know, I think he
represented the kind of people that some
of these career politicians don't like.
somebody who is
>> well what if we had what if we at some
point had a council whether it's a city
council or county council or pery town
council
>> that ever that had a group of people who
were similar to Jer Michael
>> that that were principled and would
argue and fight over that
>> u we this wasn't about backroom dealings
and and and plating whether it's a
developer or an environmental group or
>> whoever
>> whoever um
>> I I I'm not I'm not out there advocating
for people to to vote for Jamaichel. My
involvement with him has always been
pleasant.
>> Yeah.
>> Uh I just like the fact that that there
is this level of um uh you you've got to
fight it out a little bit with the
quorum in public.
>> Well, I mean from my previous experience
on council, one of the shocking things
here and and I'm going to go back to the
density amendment.
When I was on council, we discussed, you
knew where all seven people stood.
>> Yeah.
>> I'm sorry, nine. We had nine on that.
Three per ward.
>> Big government.
>> Yeah. But you knew where everybody
stood. Everybody defended the vote. That
density amendment. We had cowards on
that council. Sharon was the only one
who said why she voted against it.
>> Yeah. And we had the Department of
Infrastructure and Development, their
own department employees had a whole
bunch of reasons. We have problems.
Nobody had the guts to say why they
disagreed with that.
>> That and that's a transparency issue.
Again,
>> and that goes back to this issue about
who they choose and who they don't
choose. I think everybody on that
council should publicly say why they're
in favor of somebody and why they're not
in favor. Now, we got to be honest.
There there were a couple people on that
list who never had a chance either from
personal history or let's be honest from
just partisan leanings. Okay, you should
say that.
>> You should say that Michelle Greer
should say I'm not in favor of winking
because of reasons x y and z or Michael
Mitchell or or whoever. And listen, for
all we know, maybe Melissa Holland is
the best qualified person. But I I will
say this, I know a lot of people in
district 2 and nobody has ever really
known of her involved in the community
to the extent like somebody like a
Jamaich Mitchell. Now, this is a
personal
bias that I have, but I think that
matters. I think I think you should pick
people that are both qualified, that are
representative of the district, and that
are known for what they do. Well, to
your point, I'm not sure I want to say
why I'm not voting for someone because
that can, you know, I'd rather say I'm
vote I voted for this person because I
believe they're best qualified because
they're involved in in in the community.
Youth sports, they come to the meetings,
they're up on the issues, and I think in
my opinion, they're best qualified
without knocking down the other
candidates.
>> No. Well, I I I don't think you have to
knock them down, but but I think if
somebody asks, "Well, why didn't you
vote for that person?" And you could
say, "Well, I don't think they're
qualified because of these reasons."
Meaning, I mean, you're absolutely
right. You always want to accentuate the
positive things. I get it. But when but
when asked, when challenged, I think he
also should say, "Well, here's why I
didn't vote for the other person." I
mean,
>> yeah, that that's fine. I don't know if
I don't know if that's to be publicly or
on the side. That's
>> it's it's a highly debatable thing
because you're getting into personal
matters, but I do think regardless, the
public should have a right to hear every
candidate. I mean and and I think it was
Jamaichel who did mention this and
there's other people who've brought up
too. Just have a form. Get all the
candidates in the same room. Do a
question and answer. Hey, what do you
think about this issue? What what's the
most pressing issue for district 2? What
do you think Melissa? What do you think
uh Michael? What do you think? You know,
whoever. What's why do we not do what
what what should the public be asking? I
mean, so Monday, December 8th, six
o'clock next meeting.
>> Yeah. You talk about there's folks who
are going to go and talk in the in the
public comment sections.
>> This is going to come up again. I mean,
we this is our fourth one in the last
several years now. Correct.
>> I believe it's the third one in three
years.
>> Third one in three years,
>> but but it has happened prior. I mean,
it it tends to happen every two or three
years.
>> So, okay, let's let's look for some
solutions to to keep this from from
being the same issue.
>> Sure. Well, again, one, I think you have
to have some kind of public transparent
process to to get the community to know
who's actually putting in because
everybody should know like those five
names that we've been mentioning. People
should know that ahead of time. They
should be widely known and you should
have the ability to go and see them in
action
>> and the public would know, holy crap, so
and so wasn't chosen. They by far were
the best candidate in the public's
opinion. They weren't chosen.
>> Yeah.
>> You know, the way it's done now, nobody
knows. That's that's certainly one
thing.
>> Transparency.
>> I I also think there has to be an
amendment to the to the city charter.
They have to push some kind of
legislation where you can't put yourself
in a situation where only the council
votes for the replacement. Uh or at
least in the ascent or in the or how
about this perhaps have a caveat in
which in the event of a tie or a
deadlock somebody from from from the
mayor. I mean, we have a strong marital
system, so it's kind of surprising that
the mayor doesn't have a role in that,
but
>> but that would solve a lot of this.
>> I I think if if the council was 3 to one
or four to nothing on one particular
candidate, then you say, "Hey, listen."
>> Exactly.
>> That clear favorite.
>> Clear favorite.
>> But I think in a in a in an essence of a
tie, uh having some sort of tiebreaker
and why wouldn't you have the mayor at
that point? And look, and to be fair, we
asked Randy Taylor to come on and and
talk about this and uh his schedule
would not allow him. So, we were we we
did we did try to have our
>> it'll be interesting to see if any other
elected officials from the city are
going to be willing to talk about this
in public in the coming weeks.
>> Well, gentlemen, thank you. We're going
to stay on top of this and it'll be very
interesting to see how the December 8th
meeting goes.
>> Yeah.
>> Thank you.
>> Thanks for watching this episode of Open
Agenda. We'll be back later this week
with another new episode.
>> I know what I'm doing, man.
Sadly, the Salisbury City Council continues to embarrass itself and sow deep mistrust in the community due to antics like the latest debacle regarding the appointment of D’Shawn Doughty’s replacement in District 2. In this latest episode, we cover the process, the political intrigue, and the problems that local government secrecy ends up creating for residents.
We discuss the fallout that's still raining down upon us following the sudden resignation several weeks ago of former Salisbury City Council President, D'Shawn Doughty. This past week, the remaining City Council members selected a replacement to fill the District 2 seat. However, the interviews with the several applicants and the decision that was ultimately rendered took place in closed session. Why was the public excluded from this process and denied a voice? Was the best qualified replacement selected, or was it someone who will simply bend to the will of Vice President Blake and her sidekick, Michele Gregory? It seems that the decision was deadlocked at one point, so why does the City Charter not provide for the Mayor to cast the deciding vote under this circumstance? If you're looking for transparency in the city government, good luck finding it.
Please note the timestamps and consider sharing:
0:30 Upheaval and closed-door meetings
2:48 The selection process and the five candidates
5:00 Control of the City Council and Political Factions
7:32 Melissa Holland Chosen/Jermichael Mitchell’s Concerns
9:00 Joe Schiaffino’s Analysis of the city charter
10:48 Political infighting above the public good
14:19 Joe Venosa’s experience applying for a city council vacancy
16:59 Political Machines and the danger to the public good
18:09 Joe Schiaffino’s council experience
21:34 The Smear Campaign against Jermichael Mitchell
25:35 The Importance of a public forum with future candidates
