After opinions that a secret ballot could not be used in appointing a new member to the Menifee City Council, the council revised the plan. Under the new plan, council members will give each candidate a ranking which will be displayed to the public. The rankings will be tabulated to select the new member.
The Brown Act states, “No legislative body shall take action by secret ballot, whether preliminary or final.” One legal expert said the council seemed to want to avoid public discussion of the selection. One councilman said they had no intention of keeping anything from the public. -db
From the North County Times, July 27, 2011, by Jim Rothgeb.