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Guadalupe looks for answers on report - Sneddon |
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Written by Administrator
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Thursday, 11 March 2004 |
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Guadalupe looks for answers on report
By Elizabeth Rodriguez/Staff Writer
March 10, 2004
Nearly a year after a Santa Barbara County grand jury report leveled scathing criticism at Guadalupe, city officials are still looking for answers from the county District Attorney's office.
Although the city has asked that all allegations be investigated and resolved, there has been no indication that there is any investigation, and in October the city sent a letter to District Attorney Tom Sneddon asking where the matter stands.
"I think there's a lot of people out there that have been wondering," Councilmember Lupe Alvarez said.
Sneddon's response, which the city made public Tuesday, said his office cannot comment on any investigation, nor can it say whether a probe has been initiated.
"It is the policy of this office to not comment one way or the other about whether investigations have been opened by this office, nor do we comment about the status of a particular investigation if an investigation has been opened," according to the letter.
Councilmember Joe Talaugon expressed disappointment at Sneddon's letter, and suggested that the city make a strong plea to the district attorney for answers.
"If this is the answer we can expect, then I am disappointed," Talaugon said.
Meanwhile, the city administrator vows to have a resolution to the matter by the end of June, a move that council members hope will put the issue to rest.
Regardless of whether an outside agency takes action, City Administrator Carolyn Galloway-Cooper said she plans to hire an independent investigator to look into issues brought up by the grand jury. She said a list of potential investigators will be presented to the council in early April.
The civil grand jury report in May 2003 made public a myriad of problems at City Hall. It accused the city - at the time under a different City Council and city administrator - of having few established policies, which led to questionable practices, including misuse of public funds. It also investigated Mayor Sam Arca's use of a city-issued cell phone and said the city should be reimbursed for any personal phone calls he made.
The grand jury also said if referred other issues to the District Attorney's office for review and possible action. In addition, the City Council asked the District Attorney to consider the entire report and prosecute any possible wrongdoing found by the grand jury.
In their response to the report, city officials said they would seek reimbursements for any money owed to the city by anyone mentioned in the grand jury's investigation.
Galloway-Cooper said the city's independent investigator would look into issues brought up by the grand jury, including the mayor's cell phone use and expenditures for a grant-funded telecommunications project that was heavily questioned.
Arca's supporters said Tuesday that the grand jury investigation has been a political witch hunt from the beginning.
"Everybody is tired," Guadalupe resident Earleen Raguz said. "There's nothing there to investigate."
City Attorney Randy Risner said Tuesday he has no idea whether an investigation by the District Attorney is under way. Risner is unaware of anyone in the city having been interviewed by investigators, he said.
A city can prosecute violations of its ordinances, Risner said, but the District Attorney or state attorney general must investigate crimes such as misappropriation of public funds. He added that the District Attorney does not have to say whether there is an ongoing investigation, and may never.
* Staff writer Elizabeth Rodriguez can be reached at 347-4580 or by e-mail at
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March 10, 2004
:nav Source: http://www.santamariatimes.com/articles/2004/03/10/news/local/news09.txt
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