Sheriff Lieutenant Calls Accusations Against Feldman Untrue, Silverstein Apologizes, as Council Meeting Sinks Into Mire

The chief sheriff’s lieutenant for Malibu snapped back at allegations that the former city manager has ordered sheriff’s deputies not to enforce the anti-camping ordinance … some city hall intrigue that set the tone for a meeting that at times was nasty.

The meeting saw city councilman Bruce Silverstein step up to make a quick apology for making an unfounded charge against Silverstein’s political nemesis … then city manager Reva Feldman.

Silverstein apparently had charged in his Internet feed that the Malibu homeless situation had been aggravated by Feldman.

Apparently … Silverstein had stated as a matter of fact that Feldman had ordered the sheriff’s office to stop arresting homeless persons in Malibu.

Sheriff’s lieutenant Jim Braden last night called that false … and pointed out … it was the federal courts that told cops all across the western U-S … you cannot arrest people merely for being homeless.

NEWSCART 73672 BRADEN COURT ORDER

“There is no coming back after three years of a court case and saying …. ‘well, we need to do this.’

“Well, it just doesn’t work that way.”

Silverstein stepped forward … to admit it was he who had circulated hearsay .. aimed at his political nemesis … Reva Feldman.

NEWSCART 73674 BS MEA CULPA

“I had been told from a source that I am confidant that even Jim Braden would agree is credible … that the city manager had asked or directed the sheriff not to enforce the no camping law.

“I either misunderstood what I was told … or the person who told me that was inaccurate … was wrong.

“I will take responsibility for that error.

“My bad.”

Silverstein has exhibited a longstanding public animus against Feldman … dating back to when the city manager approved an emergency Southern California Edison construction yard at the Civic Center.

Silverstein’s house overlooks that property.

Feldman was forced out of office as Silverstein painted her as a duplicitous liar.

The city has hired a temporary city manager … and it just now is just printing brochures to try to attract a new permanent city manager who can put up with this.

Then came the meeting … where a quarter hour of bickering over the agenda preceded the meeting itself.

Silverstein wanted to postpone the hearing on the proposed hotel in midtown Malibu … the hotel that would replace the abandoned Shell gas station across the street from Nobu.

Silverstein said he had a bunch of questions for the hotel’s builder … Norm Haynie.

But Silverstein wanted to schedule a public meeting with Haynie … with the public invited … to vet 40 pages of questions and notes that Silverstein has amassed.

Silverstein that one on one meeting … to get his questions answered … would be opened to the public.

That led to this exchange with the mayor … Paul Grisanti.

NEWSCART 73676HOTEL BS PG

SILVERSTEIN: “If it’s open to the public to see our discussion, it may get us … aa lot of it out of the way.

GRISANTI: “So Bruce, you are saying that your lack of preparation because of your policy (of not talking with applicants) makes you unable to go forward with this?

SILVERSTEIN: “No I am absolutely not saying that Paul, those are your words.”

GRISANTI: “That’s right, those are my words.”

Councilman Mikke Pierson suggested gently that Silverstein needed to come to meetings prepared to discuss the matters on the agenda.

Councilwoman Karen Ferrer … tired of interruptions by councilman Steve Uhring … asked that mikes be cut to prevent councilmen from chiming in when they don’t have the floor.

Yeesh.

After nearly a half hour of arguing over last night’s agenda … the council voted 3-2 to scoot all the other agenda items back and hear the controversial hotel first. See accompanying story for details on that.