General (18)
Susana Barrios
From:Stephanie Mercadante <burglin.stephanie@gmail.com>
Sent:Tuesday, June 23, 2026 6:39 PM
To:Public Comment
Subject:\[EXTERNAL\] On Behalf of Georgia Price, District 6, Councilmember Natalie Meeks
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 June 23, 2026:
Integrity starts at the top.
Leaders set the standard. Every action you take—or refuse to take—sends a message about what is
acceptable, what is rewarded, and what is expected.
If you want integrity, you must demonstrate integrity. If you want accountability, you must demand
accountability. And if you want employees to do the right thing, you cannot punish them when they do.
Because leadership by example is not optional. It is the foundation of every organization's culture.
But that can’t happen if the City’s leaders aren’t setting the right example. Employees who raise
concerns, ask questions, or challenge questionable decisions are marginalized, ignored, or retaliated
against.
Meanwhile, those who make bad decisions receive applause, promotions, and pay raises.
Let's recap.
Former City Manager Jim Vanderpool misled this Council regarding the Havasu trip with former Anaheim
Chamber CEO Todd Ament, the central figure in one of the largest corruption scandals in Anaheim’s
history. When that trip became public, residents deserved answers.
With the exception of Mayor Aitken, not one member of this Council was willing to confront it. Your
failure to openly address Vanderpool's conduct was deplorable.
More importantly, it established a precedent. It reinforced a culture where misconduct is ignored and
difficult questions are treated as inconveniences rather than responsibilities.
When this Council refused to address unethical behavior by the City’s top manager, did you ever stop to
think about what type of message that sent to the 3,000 employees who work for this City?
You are clearly telling employees that accountability depends on who you are.
After all of the scandals this City has endured, after all of the embarrassment and public distrust caused
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by dishonesty and corruption, your refusal to properly investigate drinking water concerns, DigAlert
violations, firework contamination, and other cover-ups that continue to surface at City Hall sends a
message that is crystal clear: doing the right thing is not valued at City Hall.
So the question is simple: when Anaheim needed leaders, will this Council be remembered for its
courage—or for its continued silence?
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