UPDATE 11 AM: The note from the ethics committee has been confirmed.  Scroll down for details.

Altadena Town Councilman Herbert Simmons' website altadenans contains a letter today purporting to be from the Altadena Town Council's ethics committee, recommending his ouster from the council.

(We have some emails out to some committee members to verify that it's authentic, as well as one to Simmons asking for comment.)

The letter on the altadenans website reads:

The committee charged with hearing
the issues regarding your alleged violations of Altadena Town Council
Bylaws and Ethics standards convened on 11/8/09 and voted in majority
for your removal from the Altadena Town Council.

Of eight designated members there were six in attendance constituting a quorum.

Discussion and voting consumed two
hours and forty three minutes commencing at 6pm. The committee meeting
incorporated and weighed Roberts Rules of Order, Bylaws of ATC and ATC
ethical standards.

This vote is an advisory to the Town Council and not a finality of the matter.

A two thirds quorum of Town Council
members must now convene in a closed session hearing as to final
disposition of this matter at a date and time to be determined by the
Executive Committee. Your attendance is requested so that you may offer
your rebuttal to these charges.

Respectfully,

Jamie Bissner

Simmons is firing back with: "It is now time for the community to step up, let your voices be heard, and demand answers."

The ethics committee — which has not until now even said publicly that it is investigating Simmons — was convened to look into charges that Simmons was misrepresenting that the town council was participating in his private Student and Teacher of the Month awards.  Simmons has said that it was a misunderstanding, altho' we have spoken to several business owners solicited by Simmons who said he made his membership on the council very clear and that that it was their understanding that it was a town council award.   Simmons has previously admitted that he was reprimanded by county supervisor Michael Antonovich's office for misrepresenting that the supervisor was also sponsoring his awards.

The next step is for the council as a whole to consider the committee's recommendations, probably at its Nov. 17 regular meeting.

UPDATE 11 AM: Councilmember Alice Wesson confirms the authenticity of the message from the investigating committee.  More after the jump:

I can confirm.

Sadly, Mr Simmons continues to violate the confidentiality of this process.

Closed sessions for these specific kinds of matters are allowed under
ATC's bylaws, Roberts Rules and the Brown Act. In fact they are
required under all those processes, and there are strict rules of
confidentiality. Unless each participant in the discussion is confident
that what is said in a closed session will not be disclosed to anyone
outside the closed session, it is likely that council members will not:
•       Give complete information;
•       Express true opinions; and
•       Ask all of the questions needed to make good decisions.

His continued disclosure of confidential information is a violation of any of the processes that govern legislative bodies.

Read the Full Story at Altadena Blog