Resident alleges staff retaliation, urges San Bernardino to make commission recordings public

Edgar Suarez, identifying himself as a resident and finance co‑chair of a historical preservation committee, used the meetingpublic comment period to urge the Parks and Recreation Commission to make meeting recordings publicly available and to provide greater transparency.

"I know it's recorded. So I'm here to advocate for that," Suarez said during his remarks. He said he had previously supported commissioners on social media and that, afterward, "staff retaliated against me," alleging that a staff member told him he had violated the Brown Act for replying to an email. Suarez said he would follow up at the City Council level and would also contact commissioners by email.

Commissioners and staff did not take action during the meeting but asked staff to share the clerks' and attorneys' guidance on public records and Brown Act compliance at a future meeting. Staff later reiterated that commission schedules and public records are available through the city website and that staff would provide clarifying documentation about communications and the bylaw provisions referenced by commissioners.

The commission did not vote on any personnel or disciplinary actions during the meeting; Suarez said he would bring the matter to City Council and continue to seek access to recordings. The commission's staff and legal offices will return with clarifying information at a subsequent meeting.