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SVCAC commissioner’s ‘bullying antics’

Editor, Index-Tribune:

    

  On July 25 a group of “Save Carriger Road” neighbors attended the SVCAC meeting that was being held on that topic.  A number of us were significantly put off by Commissioner Jeff Baptista who took it upon himself to both determine whether or not comments and questions were relevant and appropriate from his fellow council members and to augment or restate responses to questions answered by the petitioners if he deemed them insufficient or inaccurate. 

  Additionally, he tried to silence at least three individual homeowners from our group whose statements he ruled irrelevant. A number of the attendees, including a retired superior court judge from San Francisco, had to loudly protest his bullying antics.  He did not give up graciously.

  In trying to ascertain his superior role with respect to the other commissioners, I found no title or other designation that would have bequeathed a leadership role to him, unless you count longest-standing member of the commission. I hope someone can explain to us his right to assume chairmanship, especially because his statements were clearly biased for the petitioner and not inclined to give equal credence or time to all points of view.

  Never before have I attended a public hearing where the chair so clearly failed at evenhandedness.

  Susan Goldstein

  Sonoma