City Government

OP-ED: Fred Blackwell, “(Finally), A City Administrator Committed to Oakland”

Published

11 years ago

March 6, 2014

Deanna Santana, our former city manager, did the right thing and promptly resigned after calls to end her new job tour on the city’s dime. The mayor moved quickly, appointed Oakland native Fred Blackwell as acting city manager and will submit his name for the permanent position.

What a concept, an Oakland city administrator committed to the city of Oakland. And stop all the handwringing and crocodile tears about our quickly departed city administrator.

Despite her so-called reputation, she turned out to be nothing more than a paper tiger: talking tough on minor issues, but rope a doping critical ones like crime and jobs.

No mention of basic big issues like police reform, comprehensive crime reduction, government reform. No comprehensive and detailed analysis, no solutions, just fluff and detention hall reform.

< p>Oakland must stop accepting people who claim they did a good job, but have no substantive results. As my granddaddy used to say, “I hear you talking, but I don’t see you doing.”

It is time Oakland’s well-paid leadership is committed to solutions. Not just pick minor issues and proclaim victory.

Enough of these are paper tigers.

Speaking of paper tigers, our auditor enters the mayor’s race on the same platform. Despite her claims of tough audits, the majority have been minor league knit picking. Have you seen a performance audit of the largest budget money grabbers: police services and economic development?

Here’s a suggestion: audit the departments/programs that cost us hundreds of million of dollars. Show efficient delivery of public safety.

Show Oakland whether we got a good honest return, honestly built, and measure benefits. Hold off bragging rights of great rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. Oakland deserves decisive leadership in the Mayor’s chair.

Speaking of decisive leadership, kudos to our former mayor and present governor on his reelection announcement. Gov. Brown made the tough innovative decisions in Oakland, and now he is doing it in Sacramento. His second term should be an even larger game changer.

The City Council made a poor decision to deny cameras and microphones to combat crime. Despite fears, this technology will make Oakland safer and fill the gaps not covered by police and hampered by fear of criminal retaliation.

Used by businesses and other cities, it is a false claim that they are ineffective and invade privacy. Newsflash: the Supreme Court ruled over 50 years ago you do not have an expectation of privacy for behavior that is in plain public view.

This is the exact technology use Oakland should be rushing forward, not screaming backward to the 18th century.

Absolutely, Oakland would be safer with video cameras and gunshot microphones throughout the city. Expand it to video cameras in every police and fire vehicle and officer.

Remember, no Rodney King without a video camera present. Limited to the port will make cargo safer while Oakland residents die. What a head scratching decision. I urge the city Council to reconsider their vote.

Councilwoman Libby Schaaf kicked out her mayor campaign to an overflow, enthusiastic crowd on Grand Avenue. She took on typical run and hide issues such as police reform and crime, offering solutions like reducing police costs by using civilians.

However, she had the courage to call for this crime fighting technology. Let’s find out other mayoral candidates position.

Clinton Killian

Clinton Killian is an attorney at Oakland downtown Oakland law firm Fried & Williams LLP and former public official. He can be reached at ckillian@postnewsgroup.com.

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Oakland Post: Week of May 21 – 27, 2025

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of May 21 – 27, 2025

Published

4 hours ago

May 25, 2025

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IN MEMORIAM: Nate Holden, State Senator and Longtime Los Angeles Councilmember, Dies at 95

Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn described Holden as “a lion” in the State Senate and a force to be reckoned with on the Los Angeles City Council.” Hahn added that she learned a lot working with Holden when she was a new councilmember.

Published

6 days ago

May 19, 2025

Oakland Post

Former Los Angeles Councilmember and California State Sen. Nate Holden. File photo.

By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

Former Los Angeles City Councilmember Nathaniel “Nate” Holden, a prominent figure in the city’s politics, passed away at the age of 95, his family confirmed on May 7.

Holden, who represented South Los Angeles for 16 years on the City Council and served one term in the California State Senate, was widely regarded as a forceful advocate for his community.

Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn described Holden as “a lion” in the State Senate and a force to be reckoned with on the Los Angeles City Council.”

Hahn added that she learned a lot working with Holden when she was a new councilmember.

Holden’s journey to political prominence began in the segregated South, where he was born in Macon, Georgia, in 1929. He often recalled the childhood moment when he first heard the governor of Georgia vowing to continue suppressing Black people.

“Doing the best you can for the people. Law and order. Make sure that people’s communities are safe. I did it all,” said Holden, reflecting on his legacy.

Holden is survived by his sons, including former California Assemblymember Chris Holden, who represented a district in Southern California that includes Pasadena and Altadena in Los Angeles County and cities in San Bernardino County.

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Oakland Hosts Town Hall Addressing Lead Hazards in City Housing

According to the city, there are 22,000 households in need of services for lead issues, most in predominantly low-income or Black and Latino neighborhoods, but only 550 to 600 homes are addressed every year. The city is hoping to use part of the multimillion-dollar settlement to increase the number of households served each year.

Published

7 days ago

May 18, 2025

Oakland Post

iStock.

By Magaly Muñoz

The City of Oakland’s Housing and Community Development Department hosted a town hall in the Fruitvale to discuss the efforts being undertaken to remove lead primarily found in housing in East and West Oakland.

In 2021, the city was awarded $14 million out of a $24 million legal settlement from a lawsuit against paint distributors for selling lead-based paint that has affected hundreds of families in Oakland and Alameda County. The funding is intended to be used for lead poisoning reduction and prevention services in paint only, not water or other sources as has been found recently in schools across the city.

The settlement can be used for developing or enhancing programs that abate lead-based paint, providing services to individuals, particularly exposed children, educating the public about hazards caused by lead paint, and covering attorney’s fees incurred in pursuing litigation.

Most of the homes affected were built prior to 1978, and 12,000 of these homes are considered to be at high risk for lead poisoning.

City councilmember Noel Gallo, who represents a few of the lead-affected Census tracts, said the majority of the poisoned kids and families are coming directly from neighborhoods like the Fruitvale.

“When you look at the [kids being admitted] at the children’s hospital, they’re coming from this community,” Gallo said at the town hall.

In order to eventually rid the highest impacted homes of lead poisoning, the city intends to create programs and activities such as lead-based paint inspections and assessments, full abatement designed to permanently eliminate lead-based paint, or partial abatement for repairs, painting, and specialized cleaning meant for temporary reduction of hazards.

In feedback for what the city could implement in their programming, residents in attendance of the event said they want more accessibility to resources, like blood testing, and information from officials about lead poisoning symptoms, hotlines for assistance, and updates on the reduction of lead in their communities.

Attendees also asked how they’d know where they are on the prioritization list and what would be done to address lead in the water found at several school sites in Oakland last year.

City staff said there will be a follow-up event to gather more community input for programming in August, with finalizations happening in the fall and a pilot launch in early 2026.