What about the will of the people?

Chico belongs to the people, not the council. City management cites the `will of the council' when making new rules or justifying recent hiring and firing of staff and board members whose focus deviates from what the council majority considers important to THEM.

The council majority recently voted to disallow commissions ability to discuss anything outside COUNCIL priorities. Mind you, commissions were designed to provide professional and sound advice, otherwise absent from the average council member, regarding specific fields; such as development, the environment, and our parks, etc. A move thereby restricting the advice of commissions to what the council may already believe — accurate or not.

This is a move that I see as punitive, as the discussions from more than one commission played a pivotal role in uncovering flaws and concerns related to the Valley's Edge development, thus prompting a strong show of community objection to the outlandish development and its negative impact on our community.

More punitive actions take place from council chambers as the council majority consistently votes down any suggestion made by the lone progressive representative, Winslow, continuing what was done to his predecessor Alex Brown. The council went so far as to swap out Winslow's commission nominee, last second, in favor of one of their own. This effectively creates a one voice one rule impact on nearly every aspect of our current city representation.

Council should remember that they work for us, and the needs of the city need to take priority over all else.

— Jesica Giannola, Chico