The Hesperia City Hall being used as a back drop for a California State proposition press conference. This is an abuse of holding City of Hesperia elected office to promote a personal political platform. The misuse of the "bully pulpit" by appointed "Mayor" Smith was outside of his authority and role as a Hesperia City Councilman.

First, a little background. My name is Paul Bosacki and this homemade website came to be out of my frustration with the City of Hesperia and the lack of progress on paving residential roads within Hesperia. Bad roads are still the #1 concern in Hesperia but thats another story. From an online taunt aimed at me, I ran for Hesperia City Council in 2006. I lost by a couple hundred votes, but took out the guy who made the taunt and who spent well over $100,000.00 to stay on the council. ( I spent $400 bucks on my losing effort.) I put my name in the hat for the planning commission, and was appointed. In 2008 I ran and was elected to the Hesperia City Council, despite efforts and money from the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors to smear me and keep me off of the Hesperia City Council.

Like being on the planning commission there is a learning curve associated with being on the City Council. After watching the other council members  for a year, I approached the Hesperia City Clerk and asked if Hesperia had anything in writing that defined the roles and responsibilities of the City Council members. Up to that point there was not anything in writing, so the research into the Procedures Manual began. After consulting with the City Attorney and a number of rough drafts later, the procedures manual was born. It really is just an explaination of the type of city government we have-City Council / City Manager and how existing law- the Brown Act and the Political Reform Act define the roles- responsibilities and conduct of the City Council. It's not based on anyones personal opinion, its based on existing State of California law, statutory requirements and regulatory guidelines.          

I'll list what I see as city government myths based on what I have learned by experience and what is included in the Procedures Manual. 

First my definitions of a myth-1.a widely held but false belief or idea. - 2.a misrepresentation of the truth 3.an exaggerated or idealized conception of a person or thing

Myth # 1- That City Council members know what they are doing, and everything they do is part of an secret evil conspiracy.

Like any new job you have to be trained and you have to  "learn the ropes" (the established procedures in an organization or area of activity) . From delivering mail for a living to being on the City Council, I had no experience at being a councilmember. How fast you pick up what is going on varies from person to person, some never get it. Most business in front of the Council is necessary and really boring and not of the evil conspiracy type.

Myth # 2. That the Public knows what the role and responsibilties of local government are, and that they are entitled to personal individual services.

Under the Brown Act (or the open public meetings act) the public is entitled to know what their government is doing and have the right to address or speak at public meetings during public comments. What is misunderstood is, the belief that the City Council runs the City.(They don't) And that the City Council can address cure or fix individual problems instead of creating City policy for ALL of the residents of Hesperia. We are not the County,the School District, the Park and Recreation District, the State of California, the Federal Government, the Police department or the Fire department. (Both are contracted from the County.)

Any one can talk about any subject during public comments, but it needs to be within the juristiction of the City Council for any thing to come of it. It also helps if you live in Hesperia, otherwise go to your towns Council or level of Government-County-State-Federal elected officials to voice your concerns.

Myth # 3 That ALL "Government Workers" are- 1.Overpaid-2.Don't Actually Work, 3.Work Directly For The Angry Person Making Impossible-Illeagal-Unreasonable- Demands Of Them At The Moment, 4.Can Drop Everything That They Are Doing To Devote 100% of Their Time To The Angry Person Who Is Making Demands Of Them At The Moment, 5. Are Responsible For All Of The Problems Of The World And Better Do Something About Them 6.Have nothing else to do than to fix YOUR problem at this very moment. 7. Are required to take abuse from anyone for any reason. 8- Don't pay taxes-like everyone else

  This myth is also a stereotype (a widely held but fixed and oversimplified image or idea of a particular type of a person or thing) of "Government Workers". Government workers should fall under the same critical lens as non governemnt workers do, but becuase there are so many of them its easy to take cheap shots at them. GW's as I will call them are not any different than any private sector workers. Some are good, some are lazy, some try to game the system, just like in the private sector. They are people trying to provide for their families, and keep their heads above water. Just like every body else.

Myth # 4. That City government is partisan or political in its makeup and that local government works for business interests before or instead of public interests.

The difference between local government and other public office holders is a designation after their name with a letter to identify what political party they belong to. Most people will see a (D) or an (R) or an (I) after the office holders name, these indicate that the office holder is a Democrat or a Republican or Independant. The City Council is designated as a nonpartisan office or not a political office office. Your job is simply to represent the people of your community reguardless of their political affiliation or lack of. It is also exclusively for the "Public Interest", to use public office for private profit is against the law.

Local Myth #5. That the appointed "Mayor of Hesperia" person speaks for the City Council or for the City of Hesperia. That the "Mayor" position can be used by the person appointed for outside-political or personal issues.

This is an ongoing problem that is as old as the City is. This has to do with the confusion that people have between our type of government, City Council/City Manager vs other City's that have an elected Mayor position instead of a City Manager position or a "Strong Mayor/ City Council type of local government. Our appointed Mayor is the person who the Council has chosen to run the meetings ,to sign the dotted line when needed, and to represent the City in ceremonial functions, nothing more than that. To allow an appointed "Mayor" to abuse the role, is to disenfranchise ( deprive (someone) of the rights and privileges of a free inhabitant of a borough, city, or country)  the people of Hesperia and their elected City Council.

Franklin Roosevelt coined the term "bully pulpit" when he was describing an office holder using their public office as a pulpit to be heard on issues. Roosevelt used "bully" as  an adjective meaning superb or wonderfull, not like the current interpretation of "bully" as a harrasser or intimidater. The point is that in our form of government, the appointed Mayor is one of 5 council members who individually do not speak for the City of Hesperia. Only a majority vote by the entire City Council speaks for the City, and the City Manager then gets to try and implement the Councils wishes. I will add more myths to this page as time goes on .