Mayor Sean Morgan
ChicoSol Editor Leslie Layton sent a letter Tuesday demanding that Chico city officials “cease and desist” from barring ChicoSol journalists from covering City Council meetings and all other city government business.
Layton alleges in the letter, dated Sept. 11, that city officials violated the Brown Act, California’s open-meeting law, when Chico police officers barred ChicoSol News Director Dave Waddell from entering the Sept. 4 City Council meeting to which all other news media had been admitted. In addition, City Clerk Debbie Presson asked Karen Laslo, a freelance photographer on assignment for ChicoSol, to leave the council chamber, which Laslo did.
Layton’s cease and desist letter was written pursuant to California Government Code section 54960. According to that statue, the city, if it so chooses, can “avoid unnecessary litigation” by admitting in open council session that the Brown Act violation occurred and committing to not repeating such violations.