Monterey County Supervisors address “sexism” accusation

It was a high-strung Board of Supervisors meeting in Monterey County, Tuesday.

Supervisors Jane Parker, District 4, and Mary Adams, District 5, were protesting their removal from popular committees. Parker was removed from LAFCO – dealing with land use and new government agencies – and Adams was reassigned off the Fort Ord Committee and, initially, the FORA Board, as well.

The heated conversation began earlier in the week after a Women’s March effort and Democratic Women of Monterey County email claimed the two supervisors did receive, and were removed, from their recommended committees and board because they are women. They claim “sexism” in the Board of Supervisors, and with Chairman John Phillips, played a role.

Phillips strongly denies that claim.

“Sometimes we shift assignments around, and I was removed from assignment I wanted in the past,” Phillips said.

Phillips says these committees change all the time. Adams tells KION that it was differing opinions that led to her move, but sexism isn’t absent in county decisions.

“It has more to do with a difference in opinion than it does with absolute sexism. Although, I must tell you there is a certain amount of marginalizing that goes on, on the Board that is difficult to accept,” Adams said.

She didn’t elaborate much further other than to say that women are under-represented in local politics, and some people in the county government are not adapting to a changing society.

Supervisor Parker acknowledges these changes might look like sexism, to the community, but she believes it was just a poor decision done with little transparency.

“As you can tell from the discussion today, there were a number of issues going on. I think those came out more clearly. But the community had no way of knowing those other issues,” Parker said.

Supervisor Luis Alejo was frustrated by some of the arguments back and forth, saying that often the Salinas Valley is under-represented in county decision making, especially the Latino population.

“(Monterey County is) 58 percent Latino, but (there are) no Latinos who are voting members of FORA. That is no equitable representation. But I have yet to hear any group, or any person, raise any concern,” Alejo tells KION.

Newly elected Supervisor Chris Lopez is replacing Adams on the Fort Ord Committee, but Adams was re-instated to the FORA Board by Phillips before Tuesday’s meeting.