Bell still does not have a monitor, but a Los Angeles Superior Court judge brought it closer to being a reality.

The debate in Bell is centered around the scope of the monitor’s access, the length of his or her appointment, a metric for the removal of the monitor in the future, and the future of the city itself.

Still reeling from the years of corruption that were exposed earlier this year, I can understand why the people on the ground are concerned about an immovable agent of governmental oversight.

From the Los Angeles Times:

A Los Angeles Superior Court judge stopped short Wednesday of appointing a special monitor to take financial control of scandal-battered Bell, but did ask the city and state Atty. Gen. Jerry Brown to each submit the names of three people who could step in and lead the city.

“I don’t want to lead anyone to believe we will appoint a monitor,” said Judge Robert O’Brien, “but I want to be prepared if we’re going to do it.”

City officials, who had previous fought the idea of appointing a monitor, said they are now comfortable with the concept but asked that the judge limit the monitor’s access. The next hearing is Tuesday.

Read the full article here.