Speaking out for the councilwoman who speaks for us‏‏

Herculean Judy Swager expresses public support for Myrna; will anyone join her?

 Occasional Report No. 31

 Myrna de Vera has recently been attacked in a Times editorial, and in several Patch threads.    Herculean Judy Swager has written a letter to the Times, expressing her support for Myrna and her work on the council.    This is, unfortunately, remarkable; remarkable, because Judy is voicing her support publicly.    Many people have privately expressed their support for Myrna, but, when Myrna is publicly attacked, these folks shudder into silence.    That, it seems to me, is a shameful abandonment of a public servant who has risked quite a lot in order to help the community.

 There are many people who live very near to Parcel C, people whose neighborhoods will be seriously and negatively impacted by DeNova Homes’ proposed gated apartment village, a disaster about to happen across the street.    Myrna was the only councilmember who tried to save Parcel C from Steve Duran’s developers, the only one who fought to preserve Parcel C for the uses which the community has shown it desires.    When Myrna was attacked in the Patch, none of these people spoke up in her defense…just private statements of support, uttered sotto voce.    Myrna has endorsed candidates for the fall council election.    None of them defended her in the Patch nor, to my knowledge, in any other public forum.    We all benefit from Myrna’s crusade to return democracy to Hercules, and transparent government, and intelligent (and not developer-driven) decision making regarding disposition of our municipal properties, and public participation in the decisions which will determine the future of our town; yet, when Myrna is smeared in the Patch by “RJ” and “Carol” and ol time anton…all of them spewing their venom anonymously, much like a klansman burning his cross while hiding under a sheet and a pointy hood…while Myrna is smeared, the beneficiaries of her service remain silent, or express their support only in a voice which is too low for Dan Romero to hear.

 So, Judy’s act of writing a letter to the Times, and submitting a copy to me for distribution, is remarkable.    If anyone else out there would like to send me a written statement in support of Myrna’s issues and her work on the council:    I will collect whatever statements I receive, and send them out to the distribution list subscribers.    It would be good not to let the howls of the Redrocks and RJs drown out Myrna’s message of transparent, democratic, inclusive governance.

 Here is Judy’s letter:

 At the June 12 Hercules city council meeting 12 residents pleaded with the 5-member council to delay their vote to approve the sale of Parcel C to a developer intending to build high density apartments. Councilwoman Myrna de Vera voted to investigate further; the others voted to go ahead with their plan. For at least three of the council members, the decision to sell had apparently been made prior to the meeting so it was pointless for concerned citizens to voice their opinions. Seems the new council is following the same strategy as the “pre-recall council”-- rubber stamping whatever the city manager wants. Myrna de Vera promotes transparent, open, democratic government. Parcel C is zoned commercial. Retail brings tax revenue--apartments bring renters needing city services. Voters should replace the incumbents in November with representatives who can solve our financial problems without accepting what’s easy and expedient. Billy Beane achieved his vision for the Oakland A’s by creating a winning team. Hercules voters need to do the same to achieve ours.   

Judy Swager

Hercules