Comments on: Deposition taken in Tulare PRA lawsuit; also reveals personnel complaints and more

By: Tulare Mayor's analysis misrepresents attorneys' fees at council meeting - Valley Voice

Fri, 04 May 2018 03:28:48 +0000

[…] done in a timely fashion, as part of the city attorney evaluation process. That issue came up in a recent deposition taken for the Brubaker lawsuit against the […]

By: Barbara

Barbara — Thu, 03 May 2018 12:45:57 +0000

Needs to be a “special” city council meeting wherein the gavel is taken out of Carlton’s hand and put into Willard’s hand. Agenda should be “questions that citizen’s have for anyone council member”. An open and honest conversation between the council and citizens needs to happen without the council hiding behind severely structured guidelines that the council has so famously put into place to restrict questions that they do not wish to hear or answer questions that they do not wish to answer. This will never happen of course……the council probably doesn’t feel that they need to answer to anyone.

By: Thumbs Up to Tulare?

Thumbs Up to Tulare? — Thu, 03 May 2018 05:49:01 +0000

While Mr. Lampe may be a “Visalian” according to the Mayor, because he practices law there (I’m unsure if he also resides there), keep in mind that he has always been first and foremost a Tularean. His roots are here. He Is in fact doing the right thing by trying to end the corruption. Just as Ms. Yoder did the right thing, and just as Councilman Macedo did the right thing. It is Shameful that this time around, all remaining 4 Council members did not do the right thing. While the requested amendments by Councilman Sigala were in fact good to include, it only temporarily helps the current situation by allowing things to be monitored better. The amendments should rather have been included in a contract for a New Attorney instead.
The Mayor really does not want to hear employee’s opinions directly, or anyone else’s for that matter. If you are “against” him and his misguided “vision,” he automatically discounts you and your opinion, and you now fall under the category of being a “divider.” The True “dividers” in fact are ones who do not practice what they preach, and those who enable them.

By: Itsallgood

Itsallgood — Thu, 03 May 2018 01:49:49 +0000

Thank you for your honesty and guts Ms. Yoder. You are what makes Tulare proud. Same to you Mr. Lampe. Drain Tulare’s Swamp!!! Please!!!

By: Smarterthanaveragebearbooboo

Smarterthanaveragebearbooboo — Wed, 02 May 2018 20:00:06 +0000

She gets paid to do a job, which she is horrible at. She has never been a City Attorney and is in over her head. I believe they should do an RFP process and get bids. Then there’s the Mayor, how does he get away with thinking that the attorney shouldn’t have to break out the hours, she should be require to show what she has worked on and how much time spent on it. No wonder she has a back log on her desk. Then he throws a spread sheet up regarding previous attorneys fees in past years trying to convince us we are getting great deal of 360,000 per year. But the finace director who supplied info said Carlton asked for attorney fees and gave him everything, not just Past City Attorney fees. Back in those days when it was high there was a lawsuit the city had and a development agency that requires alot of attorney in put. At least David Macedo knows exactly what is going on and voted against renewing the contract.

By: Corruption everywhere

Corruption everywhere — Wed, 02 May 2018 17:32:00 +0000

In reply to Michael J. Lampe.

Same thing happens in Porterville. Just saying…

By: Dan

Dan — Tue, 01 May 2018 16:17:23 +0000

Oh I also love how professional Ms. Phillips is. She claims to be a lawyer but she doesn’t know how to respond in a deposition? “uh-huh” how unprofessional.

By: Dan

Dan — Tue, 01 May 2018 16:10:46 +0000

I loved the line… “I’m trying to think of… in my 40 years. I don’t think I’ve ever asked a client to do legal research for me, but maybe that’s just me.”
and then heather’s response is “maybe it is” as though its commonplace that lawyers have their clients who are paying 30 grand a month do their research for them. This was on page 29.

By: Chris Northcraft

Chris Northcraft — Sat, 28 Apr 2018 15:25:18 +0000

In reply to Michael J. Lampe.

I agree wholeheartedly. In the past it was a given that city employees would answer questions truthfully, because it was also a given that they would not be asked to hide questionable deeds from their higher-ups. It also used to be a given that the City Attorney was so well versed in municipal law, they wouldn’t have to take time to “research” everything. To blame public records requests, which are a vital part of transparency to the public you serve, for inaction is a sign you don’t understand your role.

By: Michael J. Lampe

Michael J. Lampe — Sat, 28 Apr 2018 05:28:10 +0000

I have never weighed in on an online article, and will likely never do so again, but every citizen of Tulare should read the following comment by “Thumbs Up to Tulare?”

“… I applaud Ms. Yoder for her dignity and grace in her responses…”

All of you sitting on the sidelines as your city sinks into the swamp have no idea how much courage Roxanne Yoder exhibited In testifying truthfully. With any luck, other city personnel will find the courage to do the same.

Mike Lampe