Rob AriasThe December 3rd Special City Council meeting on Tuesday in Old Town Hall is expected to be political theater.
Emeryville City Council will hear the complaint brought against Councilmember Kalimah Priforce at 6:30 p.m. and take whatever action the majority deems necessary. This will likely include his censure and perhaps removal from city committees and regional board appointments.
The meeting is also the last, full meeting for Councilmember John Bauters following his razor-thin loss in the County Supervisor race. Bauters will be stepping down from public office at the December 10th meeting which is the final, scheduled council meeting of the year.
Video segment from the November 5th Council meeting.
2024 Emeryville Mayor Courtney Welch proposed the censure at the November 5th meeting and received majority support from Councilmembers Bauters, Mourra and Kaur.
The below resolution was drafted by City Attorney John Kennedy and sent to Councilmember Priforce giving him 10 days to build a case refuting these allegations.
The Resolution lists several alleged infractions including:
- Disclosure of confidential information (violation of the Ralph M. Brown Act).
- Violations of the Political Reform Act including failing to file his Form 460 Campaign Statements.
- Engaged in a “campaign of disinformation” falsely claiming that he was a candidate for “Mayor of Emeryville” (an unelected position).
- Abusive conduct including “personal charges or verbal attacks upon the character or motives of other Members, the public, and staff.”
“Disregard for the laws of financial transparency and accountability by Councilmember Priforce are an embarrassment to the City Council,” the resolution goes on to say. “[They] reflect poor judgment and his consistent unwillingness to be transparent or accountable for fiscal matters.”
The resolution pulls no punches stating Priforce has claimed “victimhood to escape responsibility for his own actions” and that he has “brought embarrassment and disrepute to the City of Emeryville.”
Priforce Enters Council as “Outsider,” Political Beef Escalates Following Mayorship Slight
The beef between Priforce and the Welch/Bauters alliance has been an evolving feud over the past two years since Priforce took office.
As a candidate in 2022, Priforce was the first councilmember in recent memory to be elected without the full endorsements of sitting and outgoing councilmembers making him a bit of an outsider. Because of this, Priforce may have entered office with a bit of a chip on his shoulder.
Priforce was sworn in in 2022 on the same night Bauters was appointed to his second consecutive turn as Mayor which had not happened since 1998. Priforce challenged this decision quickly earning the wrath of Welch & Bauters.
Tensions continued throughout the year with Priforce persistently being the dissenting vote on agenda items that has previously passed 5-0 when council was stacked with Bauters allies.
The beef ‘boiled over’ at the end of 2023 when Priforce was looked over for a turn as Vice Mayor followed by Mayor that has traditionally, but not universally, gone to the highest vote-getter from the previous election.
The ambiguity and opaqueness of the Mayoral selection process is partially to blame for this conflict making it feel a bit like a high-school popularity contest. Council could codify this procedure and embrace a more objective means of selecting a Mayor such as a one-year rotation based on seniority as the city of Santa Monica and other cities do.
This topic has been broached in other city’s including last year in affluent Palo Alto under similar circumstances. The city ultimately opted to retain the existing rules as to not elevate the lone dissenting voice which Priforce has also positioned himself as.
The feud between Priforce and the Welch/Bauters tandem were laid bare this election when Priforce fronted a slate of two candidates in a failed attempt to win a majority on council and the mayorship with it.
Priforce also beefed with rival candidate and BPAC Committee member Sam Gould. Some have blamed Gould’s poor performance in this years’ election where he placed a distant fifth, on Priforce’s public ridicule of him.
“The bullying must end and I am determined to end it by any means necessary.”
Emeryville Councilmember Kalimah Priforce at the 11/19 Council meeting.
It will surely be argued on Tuesday that outgoing Mayor Courtney Welch is in violation of some of these same codes. She will surely be framed as a hypocrite for her own online attacks and frequent attempts to discredit any media sources that criticize her including our own.
Priforce has also painted a less than flattering image of Welch during closed council sessions. “The yelling and screaming that was directed towards me by a colleague made it too uncomfortable for me to proceed further. Since then, I have chosen to no longer sit at the same table with that colleague during closed sessions until I can be assured that it no longer happens again,” Priforce described during a lengthy oration during the November 19 approval of incoming city manager LaTanya Bellow. “The bullying must end and I am determined to end it by any means necessary.”
This revelation by Priforce is among the many closed session “leaks” that Priforce is accused of disclosing.
“Political Lynching” and a renewed call for independent oversight?
Priforce has framed the censure hearing as a “Political Lynching” and is attempting to rally his supporters to turn out to the meeting to advocate on his behalf.
Priforce’s “Emery Rising” progressive slate has also started an online petition to advocate that the city establish its own independent Public Ethics Commission.
Several cities, typically larger cities, have independent Public Ethics Commissions (PECs). PECs are typically composed of appointed citizens and can help mitigate the bias in the adjudicating process and prevent vindictiveness and personal vendettas by those holding the levers of power.
Campaign finance violations are typically the authority of the FPPC and it is within their purview to investigate and fine candidates for any violations brought forth by the public.
Possible Actions to be Taken on Tuesday
Council will hear the item and take whatever actions they deem necessary. The lightest penalty, Priforce’s censure, would be a formal rebuke and “black mark” against him but not carry any direct penalties.
Council will also consider sanctions against Priforce which could involve his removal as a city representative from city committees and regional bodies for one year. Priforce currently sits on the Public Safety Committee and the Community Services Committee. He is also the League of Cities representative for Emeryville.
The resolution also calls upon Priforce to “sign his attestation that he will abide by the Code of Ethics; and encourages Councilmember Priforce to publicly apologize to the people of the City of Emeryville.”
A link to live stream the meeting is posted in the agenda document. Remote public comment is no longer offered during the live stream but can be submitted in advance via their online form or by emailing the City Clerk’s office at city_clerk@emeryville.org and/or city council at city_council@emeryville.org.
As a 35 year resident of Emeryville it is difficult to believe that our city council has reduced itself to a fiefdom of name-calling ragamuffins that try to oust one of their members who simply has a differing opinion than theirs. I always thought the power of democracy was all about the diversity of debate and independent-mindedness. Can’t we all just get along? With the coming deassembling of our national government I hoped that our local government would show a semblance of stability. I see now that it is a cadre of fearful children.
Anybody else expect Bauters to be a no-show? Now that he’s jobless, he might not want to be associated with whatever goes down on Tuesday. Don’t want your hands to be too dirty if you want to run for future office!
Thanks for both of your posts Brian.
I hope our city will focus on rebuilding our present and future economic strength as well as city hall and council teamwork and leadership. There will be many eyes on these proceedings . . . resolving these issues fairly and professionally. Let us hope.
Priforce is a total embarrassment for the city. Anybody who watches the meetings can plainly see he rarely knows what he is talking about or voting on. He’s immature and thin-skinned. And he constantly brings up pointless topics like trying to get the city council to vote on a ceasefire in Gaza or adopt the pledge of allegiance at council meetings. He’s a buffoon on top of everything else he’s being accused of. Vote him out.
The FACTS of the immediate prior post are correct.
However, personally insulting anyone in the media generally hurts everyone. It’s only gonna be quoted in ways we don’t want for everyone.
I encourage all involved to handle the issue using facts not personal insults, to be fair, even gracious and to MOVE ON. We have an incoming city manager; we’re concerned about lower sales tax and lots of vacant space. This is precisely where the oxygen in the room is needed. Let’s stay on point.
agree with this 100 pct. has no idea what he is talking about and always plays identity politics to draw attention away from everything. then the public comment portions are weaponized by people rambling on about nonsense.
Correction: I didn’t vote for Gould because of anything Priforce said about him. I didn’t vote for him because he’s abrasive, obnoxious and annoying.
The meeting was brutal!! Priforce is an absolute joke. PS Berkeley losers should stay in Berkeley. Crashing another town’s meeting is not cool.