Galt council members use YouTube in recall defense

Opal Kasparian's career as a reluctant YouTube star is over.

The 73-year-old Galt retiree was featured early Monday on the popular Internet video site, without her knowledge or consent, in a production led by Galt Mayor Andrew Meredith and Vice Mayor Donald Haines.

The five-minute video, which was removed from the Internet on Monday afternoon, was titled "The Truth Behind the Galt Recall."

It was Meredith's and Haines's high-tech try at defending themselves against a recall proposed by Protect Galt's Future, a pro-growth citizens group and political action committee.

In it, Meredith and Haines interview Kasparian, a personable woman with dyed red hair, who lights up when the two leaders speak with her at her Avondale Court home.

She's shown changing her mind about a petition she signed to try to trigger a recall against the two, after Meredith and Haines provide her with more information about the Delta Greens senior living project.

That disputed development is at the center of PGF's recall efforts.

"Well, I've changed my opinion," Kasparian says on the video, noting she "wasn't informed" by PGF about how large a development it would be, and how much traffic it would generate. The video was recorded and produced by Galt resident Leslie Esparza, a Meredith supporter, the mayor said.

And while Kasparian said she did consent to being recorded, she said she had no idea her likeness would end up broadcast across cyberspace.

"There was nothing discussed that this would go any further than the two gentlemen (Meredith and Haines)," she said Monday afternoon. "They should have at least told me that it was going to go on YouTube. I'm upset about that."

Kasparian noted later Monday, after calling Meredith about the matter, that the mayor was seeking to remove the video from the Internet.

She noted that she stands by her statements on the video, and that she's become a fan of the mayor despite the mix-up.

She says she just wasn't happy about being showcased for all the world to see without her knowledge, while wearing her cleaning dress, her hair unkempt.

"Other than looking like a witch, I do stand by what I said," Kasparian said, adding: "I've cooled down. My red hair isn't singing anymore."

After speaking with Meredith later in the day, she said she'd even consider voting for him when he's up for re-election in two years.

Status of proposed recall

Recall proponents have filed a notice of intent to recall Mayor Andrew Meredith and Vice Mayor Donald Haines.

A recall petition must still be drafted and then approved by the Galt city clerk. It can then be circulated by organizers, who have 90 days to collect signatures from 20 percent of Galt's registered voters. That's roughly 1,800 people.

Those signatures must then be verified and an election scheduled.

The earliest a recall vote could be held would be March 2009, at a cost of $70,000.

Source: Galt City Clerk Liz Aguire

Meredith said he did not know exactly how long the video was on YouTube. He thinks it was posted Sunday night or Monday morning.

The video sparked more than 40 views in its short life.

Meredith's publicist, Susan Wood, had sent out a press release with a link to the video early Monday morning.

In the release, which includes Meredith's official response to PGF's proposed recall, the mayor states "The recall is a sham ... In their grounds for recall, proponents make outright lies about the financial condition of the city in order to scare voters."

Dick Smith, a PGF spokesman, said he and other members had provided detailed information about the Delta Greens project to those who signed the group's petition.

He emphasized that his group has the right to criticize the decisions made by city leaders.

Haines, who also appeared in the video, could not be reached for comment.

Meredith noted he will continue to use Internet videos to get his message out. A search of YouTube shows 10 videos related to Meredith, as a Galt council member, serving in Iraq or as a private citizen.

"Absolutely," he said. "I have a supporter willing to put videos like this together ... I think this is a great way to communicate to the voters. A lot of people use the World Wide Web."

Reader Feedback

rodney_stanhope wrote on Aug 6, 2008 11:04 PM:

" Also to "middleman" I would really welcome your phone call. Your absolutely right on the money. over 23,000 people only about 9000 registered to vote and less than that actually did vote. That says alot about voter appathy. We need to give the citizens of this town HOPE AGAIN that someone, somehow actually cares about them... Thanks and Call Me! "

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rodney_stanhope wrote on Aug 6, 2008 11:00 PM:

" That's 63rd Street in Sacramento, and thats an old address. Again anyone wanting to talk openly and honestly about the future of Galt is still welcome to come to my house. 758 Avondale Court. My cell # is 209-487-4407 - I have nothing to hide and would love to hear from you. I wonder how many of these people posting negative comments actually live in Galt. Take Walnut Ave (East) Right Turn on Emerald Vista, 3rd Left is Avondale Court. Oh and by the way I have a map of the proposed Delta Green Project and just so you know the TRUTH - Raley's Shopping Center is closer to the treatment plant than the Delta Greens Project...!!!! "

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lapdog wrote on Aug 6, 2008 9:09 AM:

" Stanhope, how can you call yourself a "Citizen of Galt" when your residence is on 53rd Street in Sacramento???? "

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galt citizen wrote on Aug 6, 2008 6:28 AM:

" Don and Andrew received an over-whelming support of the crowd at last nights city council meeting. This recall will not happen. They won the election fair and square. Move on and get over it! If you don't like our small town, move to Elk Grove where they have 140,000 people. No one is against Delta Greens, it just doesn't make sense to have it next to a sewer plant and so close to environmentally sensitive property. Move it and it will be voted into our general plan. "

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weezer wrote on Aug 5, 2008 10:03 PM:

" Anyone having concerns or issues are and always will be welcome to call me or come to my house to talk.

With your threatening tone here, I doubt it if anyone would dare set foot in your house. Seriously. "

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middleman wrote on Aug 5, 2008 7:04 PM:

" Yes, both Meredith and Haines ARE backed by "special interests: The Nature Conservancy (currently being sued themselves), The Swanson Hawk folks, Sierra Club and of course the Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. These are ALL "special interest:" groups, just on the complete other end of the scale, again there is NO ONE in the middle where the majority of Galt citizen's are. Maybe THAT is way so few even show any interest in voting? "

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rodney_stanhope wrote on Aug 5, 2008 5:02 PM:

" That's nice I like the fact that I'm the one being called a bully, and a Schoolyard punk. I am just a hard working citizen of Galt that cares deeply for my community. I was raised in a very small town of Pollock Pines, Ca where the population was around 4500 people. My one and only concern as a Candidate for City Council is to have someone who truly represents the people. Anyone having concerns or issues are and always will be welcome to call me or come to my house to talk. My problem is with the current regeme not talking openly with the citizens of Galt. This city is going to grow, our only hope is to come together and craft a growth plan that makes sense. Scaring the people into hiding and believing no growth makes sense is a bad idea that will create "Elk Grove" "

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tgANT2am wrote on Aug 5, 2008 2:21 PM:

" Stanhope - Get your facts straight! While I'm at it - I wish the LNS would get their facts straight. No on bullied that woman. She just didn't like having her photo out there with no makeup on or her hair done. She was asked if they could film her and she gave her permission. Stanhope, don't get your hopes up - you WON"T be replacing Raboy!! "

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weezer wrote on Aug 5, 2008 1:09 PM:

" Wow! Is that the same Rodney Stanhope who's aspiring for a city council seat?

He's not even elected yet. I wonder how he acts when he gets the post.

Galt voters, beware. "

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lapdog wrote on Aug 5, 2008 12:18 PM:

" Stanhope, you sound so hostile. Maybe a hotheaded schoolyard punk like you would not be a good addition to the city council. "

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rodney_stanhope wrote on Aug 5, 2008 12:10 PM:

" Way to go Meredith and Haines. Run around with your friend illegally video taping people unprepared and then spinning your lies and scaring them into supporting you. I look forward to removing Tim Raboy from your little band of 3. Sorry I missed you on Tuesday at my house, heard you stopped by to see me too. Come on by again and bring the camera. I'm not easily bullied by you 2 and would love to have a public debate with all 3 of you. "

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lapdog wrote on Aug 5, 2008 11:14 AM:

" Good Job Meredith and Haines. Galt has tons of homes for sale at low (affordable) prices - it would be a gross waste for the city to approve a development of another several thousand houses the housing market and infrastructure of Galt is not prepared to handle. "

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wtf wrote on Aug 5, 2008 10:55 AM:

" Sometimes the ***only*** coverage one can get is on the web. Here's a good example:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jordan-page/revolution-march-blacked_b_116429.html "

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wtf wrote on Aug 5, 2008 10:32 AM:

" weezer and T&C, my sentiments exactly! LOL! "

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weezer wrote on Aug 5, 2008 9:42 AM:

" EJ writes, "[Meredith and Haines] got elected funded by special interest groups who object to developing the land for senior retirement homes."

I disagree. They were elected by Galt residents who don't want to turn their city into another mess like Elk Grove.
And it's funny that you used "special interest groups." "

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T&C wrote on Aug 5, 2008 8:09 AM:

" EJ, Lodi will trade you straight across for Katzakian, Johnson and Hansen, and if you like, we'll throw in Hitchcock as a bonus. I think Meredith and Haines are doing a great job. It's time for the old regime to step down and let the young minds and new ideas step in. "

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EJ00114 wrote on Aug 5, 2008 7:37 AM:

" Mayor Andrew Meredith is a sham with no integrity. Shame on him and Vice mayor Haines tricking that senior lady.They got elected funded by special interest groups who object to developing the land
for senior retirement homes.How are they
going to create a traffic jam? They are retired. We need to replace Tim Raboy the leader of this marjority controling Andrew and Don. Galt deserves better representation than these three "

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