CLEARLAKE, Calif. – A special Thursday evening workshop meant to help Clearlake City Council members work out personal differences ended up highlighting the animosity that has built up amongst them over the last several months.
The meeting was intended to move the council past personal conflicts and provide tools for effective communication, with a volunteer facilitator experienced in working in city government assisting with the effort.
However, Councilmember Jeri Spittler repeatedly turned the discussion to herself and the harassment she claims she has been enduring from her council colleagues since she was removed as mayor in August.
The nearly two-hour-long meeting began with what appeared to be progress under the facilitation of Kelseyville resident Steve Brookes, who was the city of Lakeport's attorney for 30 years, and who volunteered to assist the council.
Brookes began with a series of seven questions related to the ideals and responsibilities of city council members.
Singular word responses by the council members were, at times, diverse but, more often than not, similar.
“I think that this exercise shows you do have a lot in common,” Brookes said. “My recommendation would be start fresh .... and move forward from here. Check your egos at the door and learn to listen.”
Throughout the exercise Brookes stressed the importance of maintaining good listening skills to accomplish effective communication.
He said body language and tone are equally important and that interrupting another speaker should be avoided.
Despite the hour Brookes spent stressing these points, Spittler retained a scowl on her face, continuously rolled her eyes and, on several occasions, interrupted other speakers.
“I think we are beating around a big bush. We could address the real issues here. Stop pretending,” she said. “It's called civil harassment and I am about up to here with it.”
Spittler claims to be receiving “harassing” emails from another member of the council, including one she said offered a resource to teach her how to read during a time, she said, Mandy “Fender (sic)” was writing about her in the Lake County Record-Bee.
Mayor Joyce Overton told her the issue was indeed “civil” and outside the jurisdiction and responsibilities of the council.
Spittler, ignoring Overton's attempts to redirect the discussion toward positive progression, continued, “We are sitting at this table because I was unseated (as mayor).”
Spittler claimed the action was a result of the opposing stance she maintained in regard to Measure H – the recently failed sales tax measure that was to fund road improvements and code enforcement.
That insinuation was met with shaking heads by other members of the council, who said they made their decision to remove her from the mayor's seat based on disrespect and inappropriate behavior.
Councilmember Joey Luiz posed a question to Brookes about the proper action that should be taken when one member of the council undermines a decision made by the body.
Spittler immediately interrupted him and asked that he specify the incident to which he was referring.
Luiz said he was intentionally being vague as to adhere to the standards established when scheduling of the workshop was previously discussed.
When the council had considered scheduling the workshop at its Oct. 10 meeting, Spittler expressed concern for the event becoming “another roasting of Jeri Spittler.”
Consensus among the council was that the workshop would be conducted without the “pointing of fingers” and that focus was to be maintained in providing a means to move forward with the business of the city.
Luiz, and later Overton, said the standards were not being followed by the person who had expressed the greatest concern for them.
In response to Luiz's question, Brookes said if a council member has concern about a decision, he or she should request the issue be placed on a council agenda for further discussion. If the request fails to get a second, discussion is then complete.
Luiz also asked about procedures for communicating with staff and what should be done if a council member is unable to do so effectively.
Brookes said it is imperative that council members learn how to communicate with city staff and that protocol, policy and the chain of command are designed to assist in the process.
He said staff and other council members should not be “blindsided,” calling such behavior “unnecessary” and “mean-spirited.”
Overton and Vice Mayor Denise Loustalot also offered suggestions.
Overton said that in her experience on the council, she learned that she could effectively communicate with people she had differences with by simply informing them that she would be addressing a certain issue in public session. This, she said, allowed them the opportunity to be prepared.
Loustalot recommended establishing a liaison with another member of the council or city staff and work cooperatively through them.
At one point, Spittler suggested she could work with “anybody,” including a member of the audience, Estelle Creel.
Last year Spittler got a restraining order against Creel, citing escalating harassment and an incident in which Creel let a stray dog loose in Spittler's hair salon.
In response to Spittler's comments, Creel replied from the audience, “The **** you can,” later questioning Spittler about the restraining order.
In an attempt to regain direction of the discussion, Councilmember Gina Fortino Dickson, who has experience in facilitation and mediation, offered her insight.
Fortino Dickson said the only people each of them can change are themselves. She said it is her responsibility to find within herself the skills needed to effectively accomplish the obligations of the position she holds. She asked that her fellow council members find it within themselves to do the same.
“We can only change ourselves,” Fortino Dickson said. “We are never going to agree, totally, and we may never be 'friends.' We need to drop it and move forward. If we can drop it, that is going to give us the best result here.”
Fortino Dickson then turned to Spittler and offered an apology for the way in which she had, at a previous meeting, received an apology from Spittler that she had felt was insincere.
After the two embraced, Overton asked Spittler if there was anything she would like to say.
Spittler replied, “I'm not allowed to talk,” and quickly followed with a remark stating Overton had a need to run everything.
Email Denise Rockenstein at
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