Like a battered spouse afraid to face reality by choosing inaction over self-preservation, the City Council failed, for the third time since 2002, to take action that would hold Chevron accountable for periodic incidents that trigger shelter in place alerts.

 

With a solid legal foundation for declaring Chevron a public nuisance (See Text of Resolution for City Council Meeting of January 23, 2007, Relating to Penalties for Activation of Community Warning System, January 19, 2007), I had introduced legislation that would call for a public hearing to consider a penalty. To accommodate issues raised by several of my colleagues and others, I even watered down the measure to eliminate any specific outcome.

 

As one might expect, the usual cast of characters, the Chamber of Commerce, Council of Industries and Chevron spoke against the plan. Richmond residents spoke in favor. Council members bobbed and weaved, waffled and babbled. Several suitably vague substitute motions emerged. In the end, Nat Bates motion to do nothing until we “hear from Chevron” carried the day.

 

I believe that Bates’ motion was supported by all council members except McLaughlin, Thurmond and me. I thought that we might have recently turned a corner in the 100-year old domination of the City Council by Chevron, but last night was just like the old days.