Home » Santa Clarita News » Politics » Santa Clarita City Council » Santa Clarita Mayor Cameron Smyth Proposes Roundtable To Promote Community Discussion
Mayor Smyth talking to Black Lives Matter community members out front of City Hall.
Santa Clarita Mayor Cameron Smyth speaking to demonstrators outside of City Hall. Jamie Araki / KHTS News

Santa Clarita Mayor Cameron Smyth Proposes Roundtable To Promote Community Discussion

Santa Clarita Mayor Cameron Smyth is expected to propose a roundtable to promote community discussion during the City Council meeting Tuesday after over a week of protests in the Santa Clarita Valley.

Smyth is restarting a previously-active City of Santa Clarita “Human Relations Task Force” from over 20 years ago, which is expected to be changed to a new name, in efforts to start conversations with the community.

“I think everyone should be encouraged by the turnout of almost exclusively young people in our community that want to have their voices heard, they want to make a change,” Smyth said. “They are doing this peacefully, respectfully and they should be heard and they should be acknowledged.”

In partnership with the William S. Hart Union School District and Board Member Dr. Cherise Moore, the mayor wants these discussions to continue.

“I know we can work together to create a more inclusive community,” Smyth said during the City Council meeting. “The City of Santa Clarita denounces racism in all forms, hard stop. All people are welcome.”

Details of the roundtable, or forum as the mayor has also described it, are still being determined, with a formal proposal expected to be on the agenda for the next council meeting.

The roundtable is expected to include a diverse representation of the community, built upon the framework of the previous task force.

“My idea is to try to take what’s happening and turn it into more of long term policy that reflects our community now, and develops those policies,” Smyth said.

As the roundtable grows, Smyth said these policies would be in place “long after you and I are gone,” speaking to the demonstrators.

“This is a great way to get your message out,” Smyth said to the organizers about the “sit out” demonstration. “You should have a voice, you should be a part of these discussions.”

Related: Black Lives Matter Demonstrators Stage ‘Sit-Out’ In Front Of Santa Clarita City Hall

The mayor discussed with the organizers that they have a unique point of view compared to the City Council, with a large age difference and other life experiences.

“I want to use this forum to help inform these changes,” Smyth said. “I have talked to a number of residents who have had difficult experiences here and that makes me sick and I don’t want anyone to feel that way.”

The mayor also discussed comments from Councilmember Bob Kellar in 2010 at an immigration rally which have recently resurfaced.

“Those comments 10 years ago, I think were inappropriate then, and even more inappropriate now,” Smyth said.

Kellar is expected to address his 2010 comments in the City Council meeting on Tuesday.

Smyth wants this roundtable to build upon conversations ongoing within the community to enact “long term change” in the City of Santa Clarita.

“I don’t want this to be ‘one-off’ we had the protest and we came and talked,” Smyth said. “I want this to be long term change.”

Santa Clarita City Council Mayor Cameron Smyth

Jamie Araki / KHTS News

Ed. Note: This story has been updated to include comments from the City Council meeting.


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Santa Clarita Mayor Cameron Smyth Proposes Roundtable To Promote Community Discussion

6 comments

  1. The weak knees of the local city council are giving in. Last week they wanted to place a curfew because of the all the looting by BLM across the country. Then they rescinded it when the ACLU filed a complaint with the city. Remember, “no white person alive in America today owned a slave. No black person alive in America today was ever a slave. We can’t move forward if people keep living in the past.”

    BLM’s wishlist would include to defund the Santa Clarita Sheriff if they could. Fortunately Sheriff Villianuena will not give in. I commend him for denouncing all the looting and violence generated by BLM over the last 10 days. Very sad to read about retired, black police officer David Dorn who was murdered in St. Louis while trying defend a business from looters, that wasn’t even his! Where was BLM to condemn his brutal killing?

    • Slavery never stopped, it just changed the way it looks. Not it’s for-profit prisons, taking advantage of undocumented workers, and every other tool used to make products cheaper for American consumption. You are right about this being a weak response but because he won’t really address the real face of racism in Santa Clarita. Faces like yours.

      • There you go with throwing the racist card because people don’t share the same opinion as you. Why don’t you go volunteer and help rebuild the areas destroyed by the terrorist organization you represent. Do you care for those lives? Do you care for David Dorn and family? Nobody is buying the bullshit you are preaching. Domestic terrorism.

        • Scarlette, it isn’t “throwing the racist card” when racism is the topic. Also, domestic terrorism was not what you saw from majority of the HUGE numbers of demonstrators. Some of those nice folks probably live near you, where they made a sign in the garage to go protest with, not a bomb, for goodness sake!Calm down.

      • No slavery has & will never stop—-it’s called the Democratic Party!! They enslave the sheep with constant divisive rhetoric to keep people down! To blame everyone but the constant trouble causers! They allow crimes to continue (Prop. 47(Gascon) and 57 & AB 109 to reduce crimes of felonies to misdemeanors and let career criminals out of jail early! Look at all the local car & home burglaries, car theft, etc.! Build more jails & mental institutions-the Union would love that & so would the taxpayers

  2. What’s the harm in holding a discussion? If you don’t like it then don’t attend.

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About Devon Miller

Devon Miller was born and raised in Santa Clarita. He joined KHTS Radio as a digital marketing intern in September of 2017, and later moved to news as a staff writer in December. Miller attended College of the Canyons and served as the Associated Student Government President. Miller is now News Director for KHTS, covering breaking news and politics across the Santa Clarita Valley.