General (40)
Susana Barrios
From:Stephanie Mercadante <burglin.stephanie@gmail.com>
Sent:Tuesday, May 5, 2026 6:43 PM
To:Public Comment
Subject:\[EXTERNAL\] On Behalf of Mike Robbins, District 2, Councilmember Carlos Leon
Warning: This email originated from outside the City of Anaheim. Do not click links or open
attachments unless you recognize the sender and are expecting the message.
For public comment on May 5, 2026:
City Council,
Well 51 was still in use for 74 days after the tests showed pollution from PFAS. PFAS can affect people in
just one month, pregnant women, children, and compromised individuals.
The leadership dynamics at the City of Anaheim depends on a system of accountability. This Council can
only act on the information they receive. Without verification, there is always a risk that decisions are
being made without full knowledge of underlying conditions.
Decision-making depends on one critical factor: that information flowing upward from operations to
council is accurate and in the best interests of the City and the residents.
What safeguards are in place to ensure that Anaheim executive leadership and this Council are receiving
complete and accurate operational information?
If field-level issues exist, whether related to water quality, flushing practices, or excavation safety,
and these issues are not immediately addressed, YOUR decisions are compromised. Council
oversight is weakened, and the public is left with incomplete, dangerous, and inaccurate
information.
Dukku Lee announced his retirement the day after his recent water quality presentation.
This raises an important question of governance: Are you expected to be the experts on technical issues,
or do you rely on the city experts for accurate information? In most organizations, leadership depends on
internal experts. If the professionals are not fully truthful with critical information, then you are making
decisions based on incomplete facts as well as faulty information.
What independent verification mechanisms exist to validate what is being reported?
How are the discrepancies between field conditions and reported information investigated? And what
accountability measures are triggered when information gaps are identified?
Who’s fired? Or why are they protected?
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Trust in leadership requires more than confidence; it requires verification. Voters deserve assurance
from their elected officials that the issues we bring to your attention are fully investigated in a
transparent, ethical, and prompt manner. Especially concerning the water we drink.
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