Board Meeting Participation

Re “Board May Curb Public Comment,” Jan. 28.

Open letter to Board of Supervisors of Ventura County, especially Chair Judy Mikels:

To say that our members are incensed about your proposal to limit taxpayer participation at our board meetings would be an understatement! To pass draconian rules to limit the rights of 750,000-plus Ventura county residents because you do not know how to handle one citizen does not speak too well of your ability to manage public meetings.

As a resident of one of the ugliest cities that has passed a resolution that has limited our rights to speak at council meetings, I can tell you firsthand that is not the way to go! The founders were far wiser than us and gave us the Bill of Rights for a very good reason.

I plead to the board to take care of the troublemaker and not trouble us all by taking the shortcut. I have talked with former Supervisor Madge Schaefer about the citizen in question. She had an informal understanding with him and was able to get the people’s work done without limiting our constitutional rights.

NICK E. QUIDWAI

Director, Concerned

Citizens of Thousand Oaks