One of the great advantages of citizen journalism is the gift of civic-minded readers. The Valley Citizen’s readers aren’t just civic-minded, they’re also well-informed, well-educated, and, in many cases, very well-schooled in law.
Several of those legal scholars have told me that I was wrong when I wrote that Modesto Irrigation Director (MID) Larry Byrd violated the Brown Act when he voted last Tuesday to discontinue an investigation into an issue that directly affected his material interests. Some of those readers have said the actual ruling authority is the Political Reform Act (PRA). Others say it’s a matter for Federal Political Practices Commission (FPPC). I’m very thankful for these readers and doubly appreciative of their vigilance and counsel.
None of these readers has defended Director Byrd. The only issue they’ve raised is what ruling authority is relevant here. It is my belief that the ultimate ruling authorities for all of public service are codes of honor, integrity, transparency and the strong sense of public obligation expressed in the words, “service over self.”…