Public commenter accuses city attorney of Brown Act lapses as council moves into closed session

A public commenter accused Ojai City officials of violating the Ralph M. Brown Act and criticized City Attorney Matt Summers during public comment at the Ojai City Council meeting; the council then approved the agenda and adjourned to closed session.

The comment, made by a speaker identifying themself as Star Child, urged the council to choose “transparency or secrecy,” and said past closed-session handling related to a potential lawsuit by Simply Ojai over the Becker development project included matters not properly noticed on the agenda. “This could have been remedied if simply the agenda item would have been properly placed,” Star Child said.

The issue matters because the Ralph M. Brown Act governs public notice and access to local government meetings in California; alleged violations can expose a city to legal challenge and public criticism. Star Child linked the closed-session concern to several episodes, including a prior disclosure by Leslie Rueall and an instance involving the planning commissioner Steve Quillese.

During roughly three minutes of remarks, Star Child said the council had been steered “in the wrong direction” by City Attorney Matt Summers and urged the council to seek more candid legal advice. The speaker also cited a report attributed to the Ojai Valley News in which the district attorney said calling a special closed session with just two council members — not including the mayor — can violate the Brown Act. “The city deserves less legal fees, less legal exposure,” Star Child said, arguing for greater transparency and legal caution.

Council proceedings immediately before and after the public comment were procedural. Council member Ruhl moved to approve the meeting agenda; the motion was seconded and the council agreed by voice vote. Shortly thereafter, Mayor Gilman announced the council would adjourn to closed session.

The council record in the meeting transcript shows no public deliberation or formal response from City Attorney Matt Summers during Star Child’s comments, and no public vote on the underlying allegations. The transcript also does not record any immediate staff direction or formal disciplinary action in response to the remarks.

The meeting then moved into closed session; any deliberations or actions taken there were not part of the public record at the time of the meeting.

Details not specified in public comment or the transcript include whether the city will open the previously closed session topic for further public review, whether the city attorney’s office will be reviewed, or whether formal complaints have been filed; Star Child said only that the matters had been previously disclosed or reported.