Oral Communication took it up a notch when two speakers shared two different perspectives at the Walnut City Council meeting on Wednesday, June 13 in the council chambers.

Following the pledge and a prayer on wisdom, which was not led by a pastor this time, three speakers addressed the council.

The first speaker had been to a prior council meeting asking for more patrolling and police presence. For this meeting he thanked the council and Deputy MacDonald for the increased patrolling in Creekside. They were also thanked for the efforts to move forward with the Veteran’s Memorial.

The second advertised the Relay for Life event which will be held at Suzanne Park on Saturday, June 23 from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and mentioned that it now includes the San Gabriel Valley.

The event is not overnight this year, a variance from the original “cancer never sleeps, and for one night neither will we” message on the website. The event will still raise awareness and funds for cancer research and programs.

The third speaker was Kristine de Jraff who contrasted her street with the first speaker’s Creekside. She directly compared the two and labeling her’s forgotten.

“[It’s] sad my street has been forgotten [by the city of Walnut],” she said as she explained the lack of police presence on Camino de Teodoro. “People are running stop signs constantly.”

She then complained that she had called several times and that police only drove through and left, despite her calls and her attendance to Traffic Safety Commission meetings.

The council referred her to the present police captain and city attorney, Barbara Leibold, clarifying that she could only address council and that they were not to talk back, a standard policy.

This clarification followed her trying to explain her view to council member Eric Ching of “No you haven’t” when Ching brought up the already enacted plans to address the issue that remain unseen by the majority.

It is important to note that the council has made comments in the past to clarify statements made in the past by speakers of the public.

One male speaker in the previous Wednesday, May 23 meeting had voiced his disapproval with the trials not being held in Walnut. He also made accusations blaming the city for the loss.

At this time, Leibold herself asked to address the speaker as they left the room, and Leibold started her statement with “For those who care about the truth…”

The male speaker left without listening to a single word Leibold said and tried to speak from the floor after leaving the podium. This action had the officer address the individual by saying “Sir, you’re done.”

De Jraff did not interrupt like that speaker had, and went to speak with the captain as advised by the council.

For the rest of this council meeting de Jraff was in the area beside the entrance of the council chambers talking to the officer.

The council then resumed its normal business unanimously passing all of their agenda items with special emphasis on the new elections. There will be two seats that will be open.

The meeting was not officially adjourned when most of the audience and some board members left. The confusion was regarded as the end of the meeting since the council members seemed to be finished speaking.

Outside, a small discussion was held between the two speakers. It turns out that it took a while for the first speaker to get the patrolling he thanked the council and deputy for.

This was despite having a continuing presence at city council meetings. They advised de Jraff to “keep hounding them” until the street is patrolled.

The next regularly scheduled Walnut City Council meeting will take place on Wednesday, June 27, a half hour before the 7 p.m. city council meetings start.