By Kathleen Acuff

The Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office has dismissed a formal complaint by former Los Altos City Councilman King Lear that several councilmembers violated the Brown Act, the state’s open-meeting law, regarding decisions about Gay Pride Day.

Lear had alleged that three councilmembers - a quorum - conferred privately before meetings held March 8, 2005, and Feb. 14, 2006, to arrange a majority vote to deny the request for the proclamation by the Gay-Straight Alliance of Los Altos High School.

In making its determination, the DA’s office considered evidence Lear provided, City Attorney Jolie Houston’s response to his complaint and a statement by Mayor Ron Packard.

The former councilman had accused David Casas of conducting a behind-the-scenes serial meeting with Kurt Colehower and Packard last month and with John Moss and Packard last year.

Deputy District Attorney Stephen P. Lowney found no evidence of a serial meeting.

He determined that, in each incident, two councilmembers had communicated to agree to place a revision to council proclamations policy on the meeting agenda and to select the language for the revision, but a third member did not communicate with them about the matter prior to the public meetings.

Packard said last week, “I am pleased by the DA’s prompt rejection of King Lear’s complaint and consider it a clear vindication of the high ethics maintained by the Los Altos City Council.”

The DA’s office announced its finding after the Town Crier went to press last week.