Mayor Marilyn Ezzy Ashcraft and Councilmember Malia Vella have requested a referral on the November 6 City Council agenda to consider an adoption of a resolution to admonish City Councilmember Trish Herrera Spencer for behavior that violates City Council Code of Conduct. The behavior in question is in reference to the incident that took place at the 2024 League of California Cities Conference in Long Beach, where police officers responded to a report of an intoxicated woman and identified her as Spencer around 12:12 a.m. on October 18.
In a statement to the Alameda Post, Spencer maintained she was the victim of a crime, despite Long Beach Police Department’s statement declaring that, at this time, there is no indication a crime has occurred.
“Consider a resolution to admonish City Councilmember Trish Herrera Spencer for behavior exhibited on October 18, 2024 in Long Beach, California while attending the League of California Cities Annual Conference when Long Beach Police and fire personnel responded to reports of an intoxicated woman at a downtown intersection at 12:12 a.m. and that woman was determined to be Councilmember Hererra Spencer,” reads the Council agenda’s description of the subject.
The Council can take any of the following actions:
- Take no action.
- Refer the matter to staff to schedule as a future City Council agenda item. Concurrence that staff time will be devoted to the item does not signify approval.
- Take dispositive action only on time-sensitive legislative matters if sufficiently noticed such that the public and Council have been provided sufficient information by the published agenda, and no formal published notice of a public hearing is required.
The full resolution is as follows:
TO ADMONISH CITY COUNCILMEMBER TRISH HERRERA SPENCER FOR BEHAVIOR WHICH VIOLATES CITY COUNCIL CODE OF CONDUCT SECTION 3(b)
WHEREAS, on October 18, 2024, in Long Beach California while attending the League of California Cities Annual Conference, Long Beach Police and Fire personnel responded to reports of an intoxicated woman at a downtown intersection at 12:12 a.m. That woman was determined to be Councilmember Trish Herrera Spencer; and
WHEREAS, the aforementioned behavior violates the City Council Code of Conduct, Section 3(b) “…Members are constantly being observed by the community every day that they serve in office. Their behaviors and comments serve as models for proper deportment in the City of Alameda. Honesty and respect for the dignity of each individual should be reflected in every word and action taken by members, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It is a serious and continuous responsibility;” and
WHEREAS, the inappropriate conduct of a Councilmember undermines the public’s trust in all matters that come before the Council.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the City of Alameda admonishes City Councilmember Trish Herrera Spencer for behavior which violates City Council Code of Conduct Section 3(b).
Spencer is one of five candidates on the November 5 ballot, with two available seats on the Alameda City Council.
Kelsey Goeres is the Managing Editor of the Alameda Post. Contact her via [email protected]. Her writing is collected at AlamedaPost.com/Kelsey-Goeres.
