MONTEBELLO IS UNDER THREAT

Montebello VOICES Opposition: Glasman’s False Quorum Claim Exposed

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On January 29, Glasman claimed to have sought legal advice from special counsel Strumwasser & Woocher regarding quorum requirements. He alleged that during this conversation, the firm advised that the presence of two councilmembers constituted a quorum. Glasman not only accepted this alleged opinion but also referenced an outdated 1939 case, Nesbitt v. Bolz (1939) 13 Cal.2d.677, which is no longer valid or applicable to the present situation.

However, when our attorney reached out to Strumwasser & Woocher, the firm immediately responded:
"We have not been retained by the City for these purposes nor been authorized to communicate with anybody about this issue on behalf of the City."

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This is not a simple misunderstanding—it is a deliberate falsehood on Glasman’s part. He has misrepresented legal advice that was never given. The law is clear:

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• Price v. Tennant Community Services Dist. (1987) 194 Cal.App.3d 491 directly refutes Glasman’s claim, stating unequivocally that a quorum for a five-member body is always three, regardless of vacancies. This is settled law.

• A 2011 Opinion by then-Attorney General Kamala Harris reaffirmed that a city council cannot define its quorum as less than a majority of its full statutory membership.

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With the resignation of Council Member David Torres (D4) and the unavailability of Mayor Sal Melendez (D3), a quorum was not reached—making the appointment ILLEGAL!