It’s time for San Juan Bautista’s leaders to start talking.
District Attorney John Sarsfield is investigating whether there
have been Brown Act violations after Councilman Chuck Geiger
alleged that a delegation of city officials took a
taxpayer-financed trip to Seattle without council
authorization.
It’s time for San Juan Bautista’s leaders to start talking.
District Attorney John Sarsfield is investigating whether there have been Brown Act violations after Councilman Chuck Geiger alleged that a delegation of city officials took a taxpayer-financed trip to Seattle without council authorization.
Geiger went to Sarsfield after hearing from “someone connected with the city” that two city council members and city grant writer Mark Davis went to Seattle last month to meet with officials from the Economic Development Agency to discuss a suspended $3.8 million grant intended to overhaul the city’s water system.
The accusation, and Geiger’s questions about what happened on the trip have been met with deafening silence from Davis and the council members. Davis was no more forthcoming with Free Lance reporter Brett Rowland when asked whether about the matter.
“I make it a policy not to talk to newspapers,” he said.
We’re not sure whether the alleged trip rises to the level of a violation of the Brown Act – the California law that requires governments to conduct their business in public – unless a quorum of council members were on the trip or decided in private to make the trip.
But it certainly is a concern that city officials would take a trip to discuss such a sensitive matter without informing their colleagues.
Remember, this is the federal grant to overhaul the Mission City’s dilapidated water system that was suspended because San Juan and the San Benito County Water District can’t agree on how to administer it. It’s already in jeopardy without the added difficulties of mistrust among council members and secret trips that the entire council hasn’t had the chance to weigh in on.
Who knows what kind of impression an investigation by the district attorney will leave with the feds as they decide whether to make the grant active again.
It would be a shame to lose the money for the much-needed repairs because council members won’t talk to each other.
So, the council members should answer Geiger’s questions and tell the public whether there was a trip, what was said and what the results are if any. Davis too must answer Geiger’s questions.
While he is under no obligation to talk to the press, the city council is Davis’ boss, and stonewalling a council member is unacceptable. He should be fired if he continues to dodge questions.
This is the most significant project going in San Juan Bautista and it is already on shaky ground. Transparency is crucial for success.
