The vitriol began when Mayor Marina Fraser and City Councilwomen Naomi Patridge and Bonnie McClung voted against City Councilman Jim Grady's nomination of Mike Ferreira for a seat on the Planning Commission.
Grady called the decision to keep Ferreira, a former City Councilman, off the Planning Commission "a complete betrayal."
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Fraser, McClung and Patridge defended the decision.
"This is not an affront to you," said Fraser, addressing Grady. "As a public democratic process, the council did not choose that particular candidate."
The dissenting votes seemed to further polarize political camps that have been at odds for years.
The council engaged in a firestorm of questions and verbal attacks and the divisive spirit was echoed in the packed Ted Adcock Community/Senior Center as cheers and shouts from several members followed comments from the dais.
Grady said that Ferriera represents a large portion of the community.
"I happen to know his constituents think pretty highly of Mike Ferreira, contrary to popular belief of some in the audience," said Grady. He noted that Ferreira lost the November City Council election by only eight votes.
"Here I am because of eight votes," McClung countered. "I want to see us go forward ... I don't think he's a fit for the Planning Commission at this time."
Gorn, who expressed surprise that more discussion did not follow the vote, called the majority decision "sneaky."
"It's not based on merit, it's based on political ideology," said Gorn, addressing McClung, Patridge and Fraser. "This is what started this, is that you don't feel represented on the Planning Commission. Now you don't want Jim Grady to be represented on the Planning Commission and I am disgusted."
Both Grady and Gorn abstained from voting further on Planning Commission nominations. Grady said he would withhold his Planning Commission nomination indefinitely until he spoke with his constituents.
"I am participating, I'm participating by abstaining," said Grady, after Fraser requested that he submit another nomination. "That's well within my right as a councilperson."
The City Council was set to vote Tuesday for all seven members of the Planning Commission after a decision in January to remove current members and re-appoint new ones. The decision was made as an alternative after heated public outcry following Patridge's proposal to reduce the Planning Commission from seven to five members and align commissioners' terms with those City Council members.
In the past, each of the five City Council members has made a Planning Commission nomination, which is then approved by a majority council vote.
The council then chooses the remaining two commissioners with an at-large vote.
Tuesday night's vote got off to a rocky start when Grady and Gorn questioned the at-large process after saying that they were unfamiliar with many of the candidates and unprepared to make a decision.
Both Grady and Gorn emphasized that the council should have scheduled personal interviews during the City Council meeting for the Planning Commission's at-large positions.
Despite impediments, the City Council chose six out of seven Planning Commissioners, without any nomination from Grady.
New council-appointed commissioners include Kevin Lansing, nominated by Gorn, Doug Snow, nominated by McClung, Patric Jonsson, nominated by Patridge, and Tom Roman, nominated by Fraser.
Fraser, Patridge and McClung approved Jeff Allis and Linda Poncini as at-large commissioners, with Grady and Gorn abstaining.
The new Planning Commission is set to be seated on March 9.
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