The Other Side Of Malibu Speaks – Reva Feldman Praised For Being ‘The Heart Of The City’

Remarkable.

For 2 hours and 45 minutes yesterday …. about 80 Malibu residents or people who had contact with Reva Feldman at city hall sat on a Zoom call … to praise her.

After six years as city manager … and 16 years working for the city … Feldman leaves office Friday.

She was forced out by a poisionous atmosphere … longstanding grudges and complaints against her that coalesced into a bitter campaign to oust her.

Two city council members …. who together gathered 32 percent of the popular vote in the last election … had succeeded in making life so difficult for her … that Feldman fell on her sword.

Yesterday …. a 2 hour and 45 minute tribute to Feldman.

People like Sheriff’s Lt Jennifer Seetoo ….

She said said she worked next to Feldman … as Feldman ran sheriff’s department roadblocks to bring supplies into Malibu after the Woolsey Fire.

Feldman had been blasted by many in Malibu … for supposedly failing to bring supplies into Malibu …and for supposedly supporting the sheriff’s ridiculous roadblocks.

Seetoo said … not so.

NEWSCART 73422 SEETOO BIOOTS ON THE GROUND

“When you called me … I mean Woolsey had just happened … and there was closures … and you said ‘Hey I’m, getting in and I’m bringing all my people and we’re bringing food and water and I have a whole caravan full of everything.

” ‘Get me in and get me in now.’

“And everyone was just like ‘Oh no … how am I going to do this?’

“And you were just relentless in serving your community … Reva … and I don’t think you get enough accolades for what your did … the boots on the ground.”

Feldman was largely criticized for being absent during the fire … charges that were refuted one by one by sheriff’s department officials … fire department officials … others.

Feldman was praised last night by residents who lost their homes.

Joan Ross.

NEWSCART 73425 JOAN ROSS

“You always were asking … ‘what can I do to help?’

“And with everything that you had on your plate … to even be thinking of us with so many people that you were taking care of…

“I am so sorry to see you go.

“And I am so sorry about the circumstances under which this happened.”

Residents like Melanie Goudzwaard.

NEWSCART 73427 GOUDZWAARD

“I lost my home in the fire as well …as many of you know … and after that reva reached out to m.

“I assumed she did this to everyone.

“I was not in her inner circle.

“I have worked directly with her.

“But there she was .. asking how was I … what could she do to help … telling me how sorry she was.”

City council members … department heads … city hall employees.

Literally .,. in tears last night … saying goodbye to Feldman.

Former mayor John Siebert.,

NEWSCART 73426 SIEBERT HATE TO SEE YOU GO

“There is nobody that I know that loves this city as much as you do … and we’re really gonna miss you.

(SOBBING) “I’ve had tears all night over this … I hate to see you go.”

For 2 hours and 45 minutes … one after another … people gave tribute to Feldman.

To their credit … her political opponents did not chime in.

That would include city council members Bruce Silverstein … and Steve Uhring.

A computer identified as Bruce Silverstein was on the call … but he never showed his face.

If Uhring was listening in … he did not sign in with his name.

One fire victim… resident Scott Tallal … took note of that,.

NEWSCART 73424 TALLAL WHAT WE ARE LOSING

“This two hour video should be required viewing for the council members who are not here so that they realize exactly who and what we are losing … as a community.”

Two hours and 45 minutes on the Zoom call.

The last words … Reva Feldman.

NEWSCART 73428 FELDMAN FEEL LIKE CITY HALL IS MY HOME

“I am so grateful for everyone who has come and so many people who have stayed on Zoom … I know we are all very very tired of Zoom …so that means even more to me.

“I never thought I would end up in public service but I love being a public servant … and I love being a public servant in Malibu.

“And the work that I do comes from my heart and my daughter who was in fourth grade at Webster when I started in Malibu and is now 26 and married now said it best … but I cared … and I felt that Malibu is my home.

So … who will replace her???

Who will be the temporary city manager???

Assistant city manager Lisa Soghor is possible … she had been Feldman’s top assistant for years.

But Soghor has also been a close friend of Reva Feldman.

 NEWSCART 73429 SOGHOR

“The team we have at the city really is a family and we are sorely missing our heart come May First.

But we’ll carry on the best we can Reva without you.

“But it will not be the same. “

And Lisa Soghor would certainly be a logical choice for the three member majority of the city council … as they generally praise her and want continuity.

But Soghor may not want the job,.

And he close ties to Feldman may mean she would simply be another sacrificial lamb.

Last night on the social media … the people who campaigned to oust Feldman voiced support to appoint former city councilman Jefferson Wagner to the job as interim city manager.

Wagner is closely aligned with Bruce Silverstein and Steve Uhring … the two winning city council candidates who campaigned to fire Feldman.

Reaction to that … also on the Internet:

Appointing one of the most polarizing figures in city politics to lead a badly divided city was probably not going to happen.
The city council will go into executive session … again behind closed doors … at 4 this afternoon.