Public Comment: Closed session item on Inglewood Jan. 31 council agenda

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (2UrbanGirls) – The Inglewood city council will meet in closed session today to discuss the ongoing legal matter between Mayor James T. Butts Jr. and Melanie McDade. Inglewood resident Marvin McCoy requested his public comment be published on this site because City Clerk Aisha Thompson continues to not heed the legal advice given to her by the city attorney’s office that requires her to read comments emailed to her office.

City Attorney Ken Campos made issued his guidelines on the clerk having to read comments emailed to her during a Public Hearing held on May 5, 2020.

The Public Hearing was on the proposed citywide parking permit program and then City Clerk Yvonne Horton and her then Deputy Aisha Thompson sat shoulder to shoulder as Horton complained she had received a large volume of comments. Mayor Butts then questioned the city attorney on if they had to listen to them individually or if they could be passed out to the council for their review.

“This is new to me, so Mr. City Attorney do we have to read these into the record, or can we give them to the council so they are aware,” asked Butts.

“Read them into the record because that’s their public comment,” said Ken Campos, city attorney.

“We have to read them there at the meeting?” asked Butts?  “Is that necessary?”

“Yes,” responded Campos.

“Mr. City Attorney, under that premise, if there were 5,000 comments, we would have to read them.  Wouldn’t it be enough to get their name and if they are for or against,” asked Butts?

“Depending on how we received them, mayor, we put down on our agenda two ways [to submit comments] one was by email and second by telephone, the information hasn’t been told to me how this information was provided to us,” explained Campos.

Every city council agenda provides the public with options of how to make public comments: in-person, via telephone, or through email. The comments received through email are never read aloud by the city clerk.

The city regularly holds closed-session meetings that aren’t televised to the public which doesn’t allow the public to participate and/or hear comments made by members of the community. There is also no opportunity to speak on the items once the council comes out of closed session because Mayor Butts is known for cutting off the public telling them they can’t speak on the item even though it’s on the council agenda.

Here is Mr. McCoy’s public comment on the agenda item:

Dear Ms Allen,

Please accept this email correspondence as my public comments on closed session item McDade VS. City of Inglewood.

With that being said the residents of Inglewood shouldn’t be burden with the ongoing costs associated with Melanie McDade and her lawsuit against the City .

First and foremost this matter in my earnest opinion should be referred to an outside law firm not only to investigate the Mayor’s behavior but that of the council as I believe members of this council, including the City Manager , despite of Ms. McDade”s wilfull participation in a relationship in which in his capacity and role as Mayor bares the grater responsibility of the two as his actions and based on Ms. McDades penchant to position herself in the orbit of powerful or wealthy men and her previous history of suing her previous employer which the Mayor is fully aware of or should have reasonably known.

In addition Mayor James Butts continues to engage in harassing , stalking behavior post Melanie McDades employment and subsequent firing , in addition to commandeering and manipulating Inglewood Police Department and it’s resources to interfere and disturb an event at a business in which the Mayor by his own admission on social media.

Additionally I”m very disturb by allegations made by Ms. McDade of allegations she made at a recent restraining order hearing in which she accuses the Mayor of multiple acts of physical and verbal abuse in which Artie Field was personally witness to on many occasions at a hearing on January 13, 2023 at the Whittier Courthouse.

Finally in closing I have grave concerns that the City of Inglewood is improperly using taxpayer funds to enable Mr. Butts criminal activity as it is highly inappropriate for the Mayor’s personal bodyguard and attorneys hired to represent the Mayor and the City of Inglewood in McDades wrongful termination case ,they should not be present at City Council meetings and to this extent the Mayor should be had accountable for any and all fees billed by outside council for representation at the January 23th restraining order hearing and Emory Wards pro – rated salary for his attendance at said hearing.

Marvin McCoy