The Editor's Back Fence

Short answer: not a whole lot.

First, for those of you who prefer to watch the meetings online rather than attend in person (I can't imagine why.) It wasn't your fault. The streaming video system has been non-functioning for one full week. Yes, I reported it last week, but they did nothing. When it continued to transmit nothing but a test pattern, I consulted my two computer gurus, who confirmed with three computers, two operating systems and an Ipad that nothing was being sent from Old City Hall, an observation that was echoed by my friends at Berkeleyside who had also been trying to watch the action at home.

I sent alarmed messages to Councilmember Kriss Worthington, and Emilie did the same to press contacts on city staff. Just to make sure, I then went down to the meeting. By the time I got there Kriss told me the system had been fixed and was now online.

My suspicion is that it needed to be rebooted after the power outage last week, but no one bothered to do so. Another person at the meeting told me he'd also reported the problem to the city clerk's office. He said the person he talked to was "surly"--sounds like the same person I talked to! Could there be a management problem here?

So what happened? Two zoning adjustment board decisions were upheld. (Maybe more later on this?) The energy audit program was approved, but with an exemption for residences in buildings of 1-4 units to be "reconsidered" in a couple of years. (Oh, how they labored over that choice of word.)

And yes (see updated editorial) they never did get around to discussing the police issues stemming from the tear gassing of the December 6 demonstration. Priorities, you know!