OPEN LETTER TO COUNCILMAN COHEN FROM MARCIA PEREZ

February 1, 2007

Mr. Andrew Cohen
City Council Chambers
701 Laurel Street
Menlo Park, CA

Dear City Councilman Cohen:

Thank you for taking my call and speaking with me. I am writing this
letter to clarify some points that were discussed at the January 30,
2007 City Council meeting at the Menlo Park Senior Center. After the
Public Comment period, Councilman Boyle and City Manager Mr. Dave Boesch
had an exchange regarding the "slowing down of the process" and whether
there were any meetings with parents. I was not permitted to comment at
that time.

Boesch did not give an accurate portrayal of what was going on regarding
my multiple attempts to meet with him and Barbara George Santos. I made
extensive efforts for either of them to call me back and make an
appointment to meet with me and other parents. It was not until I cc'd
you with an e-mail that they actually responded almost a month later.
Here is a chronological list of events:

1. 12/08/06: Vanessa told verbally to "say goodbye" to her kids because
she is going to work at Burgess on January 2, 2007. Not done in writing
which is violation of union contract.

2. 12/12/06: 20-30 parents meet with Barbara George Santos where she
explains "her" restructuring plans to terminate the Program Assistant
for the Belle Haven After-School Program.

3. 12/13/06: An e-mail is sent to Dave Boesch requesting a parent
meeting. No response.

4. 12/13/06 Two (2) e-mails to Barbara George Santos regarding setting
up a meeting with parents. No response.

5. 12/15/06: One voice message left for Boesch to set up meeting with
parents. No response.

6. 12/15/06: One voice message left for Barbara to set up meeting when
she returns from trip. No response.

7. 12/19/06: Voice message left for Boesch day of City Council meeting
to set up meeting with parents. No response.

8. 12/19/06: Voice message left for Barbara day of City Council meeting
to set up meeting with parents. No response.

9. 12/19/06: Statement by Boesch at the City Council meeting that he
would "slow down the process", speak with parents and agree to consider
conflict resolution.

10. 01/04/07: E-mail sent to Boesch requesting call back from him and
response to my request for a meeting since 12/13/07. No response.

11. 01/04/07: E-mail sent to Barbara requesting a meeting, a call back,
and discussion of the agenda. No response.

12. 01/04/07: Call to Boesch's office where I am initially told he is in
and available, but then clerk comes back on the line to tell me he
cannot take the call at that time. Left message with clerk for call
back. No response.

13. 01/04/07: Voice mail left for Dave Boesch regarding parent meeting
and agenda for meeting. No response.

14. 01/04/07: Voice mail left for Barbara regarding parent meeting. No
response.

15. 01/04/07: Cc'd Andrew Cohen requesting meeting from Boesch and
Barbara and that there has been no response from them.

16. 01/04/07: Call from Barbara at the end of the day stating Dave
Boesch can meet Friday, January 12, 2007 at noon. I explain my father
is very ill and I would like the meeting sooner as I need to care and
spend time with my father, but an earlier agreeable time could not be
worked out. I accept the 01/12/07 date.

17. 01/09/07: Letter from Glen Kramer, Personnel and Information
Services Director instructing Vanessa Carlisle to report to the Menlo
Children's Center on February 5, 2007 because the City intends to
eliminate the Program Assistant position at the Belle Haven After-School
Program.

18. 01/11/07: My father passes away.

19. 01/12/07: Matt Henry calls Boesch's office on my behalf to cancel
meeting.

20. 01/30/07: City Council Meeting where Boesch states he has been open
to meeting with parents.

21. 01/31/07: E-mail sent to Boesch requesting parent meeting and
personal phone call. No response.

22. 02/01/07: Voice message left for Boesch requesting meeting and call
back in person. No response in person but an e-mail stating he could
not meet during any of the three (3) meeting times I gave him and that
he will get back to me.

As you can see, I have gone above and beyond attempting to reach the
City Manager to set up a meeting. Not once was there a call back from
Dave Boesch. He has not made any real attempt to connect with parents
or even reschedule a meeting. I am not the only parent he could have
contacted. I know other parents wrote letters with contact numbers.

As for his statement that he would "slow down the process" I find that
statement intentionally misleading to the City Council. It was
disingenuous. Boesch had no intent on slowing down the process. He was
just regrouping to make the second attempt to transfer Ms. Carlisle pass
legal muster with the union and spin well with the public and Council.
As soon as the Holiday break ended and within four (4) business days of
the New Year, the Personnel Director sent out a four (4) page letter
detailing the City's reasons for the transfer of Ms. Carlisle. The
letter dated January 9, 2007, attempted to satisfy the MOU (union
contract) because their first attempt to "verbally" transfer her on
January 2nd was a violation of union rules - so the move never happened.
This second attempt to move Ms. Carlisle in writing does not appear to
satisfy the union contract either, as the union told Ms. Carlisle do not
move because the union will file a grievance and refused to "confur" the
transfer at the mandatory "meet & confur" union meeting that was held
01/23/07. Four (4) days is very quick, especially for "government time"
(government time: being a slower more drawn out period of time than
normal for average business, i.e., Such as when parents are trying to
get a meeting with a City Manager.)

If Boesch was eager and willing to meet with Belle Haven parents why did
the January 9, 2007 transfer letter, with all the union legalese get
sent before the scheduled January 12, 2007 meeting with parents? If the
written letter was their attempt to meet the union rules and force Ms.
Carlisle out of Belle Haven then was the die not cast? Was the transfer
not now set in stone since it was sent to David Boesch, Audrey Seymour,
Barbara George Santos, Mike Taylor, Jonathan Wright, Local 715, and
Martha Oliva the union Steward by Glen Kramer the Personnel and
Information Services Director? How does one unring that bell? Did
Boesch tell the council about these final personnel decisions made by
the City on January 9? His mind was made up before any meeting was
ever scheduled with me. The meeting would have been fluff for the City
Council. My father's death had nothing to do with the January 12, 2007
meeting because the decision was already in motion. I am disgusted the
way Mr. Boesch pimped my father's death for his gain grace before the
City Council, but I do not get to speak to that.

So I ask again...How does the little guy ever win and find democracy in
the Menlo Park City system when the rules keep changing on us? We are
told to follow the rules and meet with the City and give our input and
they would listen to our concerns but the transfer letter was already
delivered to Ms. Carlisle from Personnel without any parent input. So
where is the reality of really being listened to? Remember, parents are
not paid to leave work to attend meetings for their children's child
care but the City employees are paid generously and can spin their
wheels to walk in place. Our time is precious and funds limited. What
would have really come from the meeting anyway?

We parents thought the purpose of the meeting was for the City to hear
our many concerns and take them into consideration. Maybe even find a
solution to all the City's budget problems that they expressed to us.
We were told the city is having immediate budget problems funding child
care replacements thus the need to terminate the Belle Haven Program
assistant to meet these budget shortfalls. Does the City know about
this urgent budget crisis the child care centers are in thus the need to
terminate vital staff that our Belle Haven children and families need?
Maybe this is important enough to be an agenda item? Is the City being
truthful with parents and council?

There is enough double talk. The City Admin has proven themselves
unwilling and incapable of doing the right thing in this matter and
allowing the youth of the Belle Haven community to keep our beloved
child care giver of 27 years. How many times should we fall for the
"okie-doke?" (term used by people of color to describe when we are lied
to by government, used and led to chase our tail in derision).

Council, either act and vote on this, or brace yourself for a bumpy
ride. I PROMISE YOU THE PARENTS OF BELLE HAVEN ARE NOT GOING AWAY. WE
ARE NOT GOING AWAY QUIETLY. WE ARE NOT GOING AWAY PEACEFULLY. WE
DEMAND TO BE PART OF THE PROCESS. WE ARE NOT GOING AWAY.

Marcia I. Dore-Perez

Belle Haven Community Member
and Pissed Off Working Mother

Attachments:
E-mails, correspondence and MOU
CC: The whole damn world
Received on Thu Feb 1 23:04:53 2007