Last year I wrote about Metropolitan Water District's $571,400 Ethics Office.
We are now learning just how big of a colossal failure the Ethics Office is.
The Surf City Voice is reporting that MWD Chairman Col. John V. Foley (ret.) didn't think he needed to disclose his wife's income from her consulting business Statement of Economic Interests or “700” form. If she was consulting on something unrelated to water, maybe that wouldn't matter. But Mrs. Foley was consulting directly and indirectly with MWD and member agencies. That's a big conflict of interest.
Surf City Voice is reporting about $280,000 in unreported income.
If the number one man in charge of MWD doesn't recognize the need to report his wife's income, its time to find a new chairman and scrap the Ethics Office. For Pete's sake, even Linda Ackerman, another MWD director, reports her husband's income. Hubby Dick Ackerman is an attorney for Nossaman LLP which consults to MWD.
The Surf City Voice wrote quite an amazing expose on the incestuous relationships of the water agencies and their many directors.
In short, Orange County's water is dirty. Very dirty. And another $571,400 down the toilet.
How much more has MWD tossed away for feel-good programs that line the pockets of friends and family? How many more back-room deals have taken place?
Friday, February 3, 2012
Fullerton Police Chief Michael Sellers to Retire (for good?)
Fullerton City Manager Joe Felz today (Feb. 3) announced that Michael F. Sellers has informed the city that he will retire from his position as chief of the Fullerton Police Department.The retirement will be effective Feb. 18.
Felz, who wished Sellers well, said the retirement will help the department and the city in the process of moving forward. He added no decision has been made as to a permanent replacement.
“We will be reviewing our options with the Council in the coming months and will determine the best course for the city in finding a replacement,” Felz said.
Police Capt. Dan Hughes, a 28-year veteran of the department, will serve as acting chief until a decision is made on a permanent replacement.
Sellers, who became Fullerton’s chief in May 2009, has been on medical leave since Aug. 9, 2011. The announcement of his retirement coincides with resolution of Sellers’ workers’ compensation claim.
That resolution involves a payment of $127,500 to Sellers, plus $22,500 in legal fees. In addition, it relieves the city from any future responsibility for medical costs related to the claim.
William McCormick, the attorney who represented the City of Fullerton in the workers compensation claim, said he is pleased with the outcome of the case. “Chief Sellers’ treating doctor and an independent doctor both said he was unable to return to work at his job, and the settlement ended any potential liability for future medical treatment costs, which could be significant,” McCormick said.
Sellers will be eligible for an industrial disability retirement based on findings from his doctor, as well as from the city’s doctor, who determined Sellers is disabled from performing his job as Fullerton’s police chief.
Sellers began his career in law enforcement in 1976 when he joined the La Palma Police Department. He left La Palma in 1995 for a captain’s position with the Los Alamitos Police Department. In 1997, he was made chief of the Seal Beach Police Department. He accepted the post of Laguna Beach chief of police in 2005.
He left Laguna Beach to become Fullerton’s chief of police.
Monday, January 30, 2012
Orange County Surveyor Says Good Bye
In a press release from the Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists (BPELSG) Orange County Surveyor Ray Mathe, PLS was named as the Board's Senior Registrar Land Surveyor.
The Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists (BPELSG) is pleased to announce that Raymond Mathe, PLS, has accepted the position of Senior Registrar Land Surveyor, effective February 28, 2012. In 2004, Mr. Mathe was appointed by the County of Orange Board of Supervisors to serve as the County Surveyor. Prior to his position at Orange County, Mr. Mathe worked as a Project Manager at a private engineering and land surveying firm and served as the Deputy County Surveyor for the County of Riverside. Mr. Mathe obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Workforce Education and Development from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale in 1995. Mr. Mathe’s experience and knowledge of BPELSG’s mission and operations, particularly with respect to licensing examination development and the Professional Land Surveyors’ Act, will prove to be very beneficial to the Board’s licensees, applicants, and the public.
Congratulations Ray! OC will miss you!!
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| From left: Raymond Mathe, PLS & Robert Hart, PLS |
Water Rate Meeting - MARK YOUR CALENDAR!
Public parking will be available in the small parking lot accessed from Commonwealth as well as the large employee parking lot accessible from Basque.
