Mayor Bruce Whitaker continues his monthly “Talk Around Town” dialogue with constituents at Hillcrest park Tuesday evening. Regular public meetings are something of a tradition for Fullerton’s more responsive mayors. This series has become an especially lively forum for interested residents to discuss timely issues with the Mayor, each other, and attending city staff. Last month Bruce Whitaker began his September talk at the shuttered Hunt Branch library by arguing against leasing the closed facility to a neighboring church, a proposal reportedly initiated by the City Manager’s office.

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Divisions between the city’s professional administration and Mayor Whitaker were further evident that evening in his statements that city staffers exhibited “barely tolerable levels of patience with council members sometimes,” and that “they resent the fact that five members of the community are elected” to represent the public. We can only hope that the next mayor, chosen by fellow City Council members in December, will be as frank and honest in his or her remarks.

Hillcrest Park will mark the third consecutive historic site chosen for the monthly Talk Around Town. The park itself has been the subject of some controversy in recent years with the development of the Hillcrest Park Master Plan, approved over two years ago by the City Council.

During the planning process residents of the surrounding neighborhood formed their own committee to provide input beyond that of the officially sanctioned Hillcrest Master Plan Ad Hoc Committee. We might expect attendance on Oct. 22 by members of the community concerned with the future of the park and the potential effects of the plan on it and the surrounding neighborhoods.

Talk About Town with Mayor Bruce Whitaker:

Tuesday, October 22, 2013, 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm. Red Cross Building at Hillcrest Park. The Red Cross Building is located on Lemon at the corner, North of Valley View. Free parking available in front of the building. For more information: (714) 738-6311