+ adding Mr. Ibrahim, Nikki Nagoya and Jim Cogan. Update: If you had an iota of doubt on where the residents of the city stand, please debate no further. Here's a link to a thread on NextDoor that will enlighten you on how we all are feeling. https://nextdoor.com/news_feed/?post=69621136 Please do take the time to read each and every comment on the thread. These are real people, real residents of Menlo Park and their voices matter. Instead of bringing a lobbyist to our tiny town of 30K, how about we use the $96K to better serve the residents of Belle Haven--maybe we can use that money to fix the programs and services including the library in Belle Haven? Or better, how about we use the $96K to create a summer internship program for teens in Belle Haven that exposes them to leadership training, self advocacy, and connects them to the resources they need to succeed? In case you miss reading my comment in the long thread on Next Door, here it is quoted below: "I would rather sit in traffic for the next 8 years than sell my soul to the man who has divided this country, is racist, and is a sexual offender. This is the most nonsensical rationale I have heard in a long time. Wow. Have we stooped so low as a city?! This is a lobbying gamble that is going to explode on our face. This is exactly what Trump wants. For us to grovel. Since when did ethics and values and who we stand for as a city become so muddled? No lobbyists please. Let's not bring the swamp here." Thanks, Pushpinder Pushpinder P. Lubana, Ph.D. LinkedIn http://www.linkedin.com/in/pushpinderlubana > Cell 650-644-8554 On Fri, Nov 3, 2017 at 6:23 PM, Pushpinder Lubana Dear City Council Members, > > I am appalled to read that you are even debating or considering hiring a > consultant from a firm in D.C with the background and experience he has. My > questions to you: > > 1. Are there no firms in the Bay Area or consultants in Menlo Park or > somewhere in CA that can better understand and represent our city's > interests? > 2. How was this firm even identified? What process was followed? Who > identified this firm? OR who on the Council has contacts in this firm? > 3. Were residents or representatives from ALL neighborhoods in the city > approached as to what the hiring process will look like, what inputs they > might have for the process etc.? > > Do we need to hire a consultant with dubious political leanings from D.C.? > Are we now bringing the swamp here? Brian Lanza was the communications > director for the Trump campaign!!! You know that, right? Do we not have > enough divisions sown in this country that we need his grubby hands on our > city? > > How about creating a committee of residents of ALL neighborhoods, > backgrounds and expertise to create a strong taskforce on what direction > the city should go in. We have people with amazing talent in this city and > resources/connections. Why spend our tax dollars to hire a firm that we can > take care off in-house? > > I look forward to your answers. > > Regards, > Pushpinder > > > > > > Pushpinder P. Lubana, Ph.D. > LinkedIn http://www.linkedin.com/in/pushpinderlubana > > Cell 650-644-8554 > Received on Sat Nov 04 2017 - 11:08:40 PDT
