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Public comments at Malibu council meeting feature heated accusations over planning volunteers, code enforcement and social media posts
Summary
Public commenters traded allegations of improper influence and defamatory campaigns during the council's public comment period: one speaker accused volunteers and a planning commissioner of coordinating dubious enforcement; others defended the volunteers and called the attacks politically motivated; an online commenter alleged offensive Facebook posts by a council member.
The public comment period at the Sept. 23 Malibu City Council meeting included sharply worded accusations and defenses involving the Malibu Township Council (MTC), volunteer planning commissioners and elected officials.
A Zoom caller identified as Ron said the system around code enforcement "doesn't require [John Mazza] to lodge a single complaint" and accused planning commissioner John Maza and others of triggering code enforcement complaints that threaten homeowners. Ron told council the result is residents receiving violation notices and threats of misdemeanor or liens without adequate proof.
Other commenters pushed back. Joe Drummond, appearing in person, described attacks against him, the MTC and related appointees as "orchestrated" and "politically motivated," said he had verified his residency twice to the city and said he had filed a complaint with the Fair Political Practices Commission. Several callers defended the MTC's long history and urged an end to anonymous attacks.
An online commenter named Ari alleged that Council member Bruce Silverstein ran a Facebook group that contained explicit and derogatory memes in 2020, calling the content "disgusting" and unacceptable for a public official. Council member Silverstein later addressed the council to explain the Facebook group (COVID-19 memes) and said it was intended as a lighthearted outlet during the pandemic; he also offered to have posts removed if flagged.
Council reaction and staff notes: Council members asked staff and each other clarifying questions about access to city information systems and about possible remedies. One council member noted they have no special server access and residents may file California Public Records Act requests. No formal staff action or disciplinary measure resulted from the meeting; the matters remain public-discussion items and, in places, were signaled as campaign-related and potentially subject to outside enforcement (FPPC) or additional evidence.
