Alameda declines to admonish councilmember police say was drunk on city business

ALAMEDA, Calif. - The Alameda City Council on Wednesday declined to take action against a councilmember who police say was found intoxicated while on city business in Long Beach last month. 

The council debated whether to formally admonish Trish Herrera-Spencer for behavior that violates the council's code of conduct.

Spencer was attending a League of California Cities Conference in October when Long Beach police say she was found lying drunk on the sidewalk outside a bar.

KTVU reviewed body camera footage of that event, which does appear to show that Herrera-Spencer was intoxicated. 

Councilwoman Malia Vella also attended that conference and presented the admonition resolution with the mayor, Marilyn Ezzy Ashcroft. 

"It's one thing to go to an event, it's another thing to end up on the sidewalk," Vella said at the meeting, adding that other elected officials indicated that they have seen Herrera-Spencer "drinking and getting into her car," at other events and have tried to to talk her out of driving. 

"Part of accepting responsibility is making sure this individual gets the help they need and would benefit from," Vella added. 

In the end, however, the council did not take a vote and Spencer did not attend the meeting.

Herrera-Spencer is one of five candidates running for two open seats on the city council.

As of Wednesday, the unofficial count showed that special education teacher Michele Pryor and and Alameda County prosecutor Greg Boller are the top two vote getters. 

Herrera-Spencer is in third place.