Ever since the Mayor took charge, the list of potential conflicts of interest have grown too numerous to list. We believe the image below supports our contention that these businesses and individuals are not merely loosely connected, but have economic relationships that would normally warrant a conflict of interest in any other city.
Editor’s Note: Check out our updated flowchart here.
Gallo said,
December 18, 2009 @ 6:29 PM
Sam used to work with me too, hey it’s a small town. No worries.
The Patterson Irritator said,
December 18, 2009 @ 10:48 PM
Gallo,
This has less to do with you, and more to do with these circles of interest. Just because we live in a small town, it sure as hell doesn’t mean that we totally disregard our ethical obligations.
Maybe you could clear up the DBA Patterson Financial question, because if your doing business as PF, then it would appear that Becky had a conflict when Ron West was appointed to the Planning Commission. This of course didn’t stop her from going with West. Instead she settled a few political scores, ousted molina and funez, and appointed someone who appears to be part of her business.
You may not be worried, but folks in Patterson find this to be rather disturbing.
Respectfully,
Fred
William Johnston said,
December 19, 2009 @ 1:20 PM
The Patterson Irrigator covered this when the council appointed West and later Rookard. But they said that Rookard’s husband Pete and West worked “in Campo’s office”. According to this document, it looks like there is more to the story. Regardless of the outcome, I like Rookard, she is practical thinker and isn’t afraid to voice her opinion. Even West brings a certain level of experience that the commission seemed to have lacked. It’s too bad Campo didn’t do the right thing and remove herself from the process. This is what residents are upset about, the way Campo and others seem to disregard rules. Just my thoughts.
http://patterson.uber.matchbin.net/pages/full_story?article-Planning%20commission%20turnover%20has%20a%20stink%20to%20it%20%20=&page_label=our_voice&id=2227952-Planning+commission+turnover+has+a+stink+to+it+&widget=push&instance=our_voice+special_coverage_bullets_right_column&open=&
PatMan said,
December 19, 2009 @ 1:35 PM
Your thoughts are right on. There may be nothing wrong happening. But, there is the illusion of corruption with everything that has gone on. On paper and in actions, it is easy to see that there might be corruption in high places.
As the OldTimer stated, it appears that she has three planning commissioners under her control, her and two council members, the city attorney and the city manager. It may not be the case, but there is the perception of wrong-doing. Not exactly the way a true professional would act.
Add to the fact that Gallo is a prominent member of the Economic Strategic Committee with other friends, and she has more influence than one would want from a mayor.
As has been pointed out in other postings, the talk around town is that we are beginning to be a mini-chicago in the corruption game.
I believe that it is time that Campo come out with full disclosure on her relationships with all the various commission members and staff. Three of five planning commissioners, at least one economic commissioner. What other plants can we find if we continue to look. It is mighty scary to know that two of the planning commissioners work for or with the mayor, and not in the office as she led us to believe.
We also want to know if it is true that the city manager has been told that he needs to obey the mayor or he will lose his job. We need to know what the arrangements were for him to keep his job. Again, if there isn’t anything bad, then why put out the perception that there is corruption involved?
The people of Patterson need to know the full facts of this empire that Campo has set herself up with. She needs to identify all the relationships she has with the decision makers. She needs to ensure that the people of Patterson are not being served by a corrupt mayor.
the recorder said,
December 19, 2009 @ 3:19 PM
This is from the chamber website:
Patterson Financial – Full tax service bookkeeping and accounting, mortgage broker, notary service. http://www.patterson-westleychamber.com/members.htm
Who is the mortgage broker?
PatMan said,
December 19, 2009 @ 3:55 PM
Coincidentally, the broker who is on the economic strategic planning commission, “just works in the same office”.
Let’s see how this works. The mayor owns a business in town. Why not have one of the people that “just happen to work in the same office” on the economic strategic commission? There wouldn’t be any conflict with an office mate knowing the economic plans for the city, would there? At the same time, why don’t we someone else who “just happens to work in the same office” and the wife of someone else who “just happens to work in the same office” on the planning commission. Who cares if there are already five members. Two can get kicked off to make room. Who cares if the two that get kicked off just happen to be at odds with the mayor.
Sounds totally honest to me. I don’t see any conflict of interest in any of it. None. I don’t know how anyone could question it.
Stop The Madness said,
December 20, 2009 @ 12:30 PM
Ron West was the planner at K&B when Heartland Ranch was going through the planning stages. Ron West represents developers and landowners and helps navigate them through the planning process. Ron West has spoken before the Patterson City Council and County Board of Supervisors to push his clients’ development projects. Ron West has represented landowners outside of Patterson City limits. He hates ag. mitigation policies and loves sprawl. Ron West is the poster child for demonstrating what a conflict of interest should look like.
PatMan said,
December 20, 2009 @ 8:11 PM
And Ron West works for Becky Campo. Go figure. She works for him in the office, as we have seen and also for him as a planning commissioner. She does get a cut from every real estate deal he does, doesn’t she? Let’s take a look at this relationship again. Becky is the mayor. Becky owns a business (the mortgage/real estate portion of it) that stands to gain when its clients by/sell/refinance a loan or buy a piece of property (a home). Ron, on the planning commission just happens to work for her and her broker. He is on the planning commission, that assist the city council for developments. Developments = more money for Patterson Financial and MVP Real Estate. Becky is involved in both. Wow, for every home and/or loan they are involved in, they both get money/ (As does the broker, Gallo). And we want him to decide what is good for our community as far as developments go? Does anyone else see this as more than a possible conflict of interest? And then you add the wife of another licensee in that office to the planning commission, and it doesn’t look good for Becky. Matter of fact, it looks as if she took great pains to stack the planning commission in a manner that makes it a financial benefit to her, their broker and agents.
I can’t see that the appointments could be anything except a way to further her business and done for financial gains.
If this isn’t the case, or if I am missing something, please let me know.
the recorder said,
December 20, 2009 @ 10:11 PM
This site claims that Ronny is a broker.
http://www.loopnet.com/broker/Ron-West/2718609/
Jeff Realini said,
December 21, 2009 @ 9:42 AM
Aren’t these litterally last years issues? If this is a major issue of COI, why hasn’t anyone filed court papers to challenge the validity of the postings?
The Patterson Irritator said,
December 22, 2009 @ 12:59 AM
Jeff,
Your partially right…these are last year’s issues. However, the Gallo dba Patterson Financial changes things a bit. We would be quite surprised if the next grand jury doesn’t take a hard look at this. Until then, the residents of Patterson will have to play judge.
OldTimer said,
December 23, 2009 @ 10:35 AM
Here is something for you all. This morning, as I was reading the Modesto Bee, I read the first paragraph of an article and couldn’t help but think that this article could be about Patterson. Here is the first paragraph:
. Three city councilmen should be removed from office
. because they broke state laws, conspired against their
. staff and promoted their personal agendas, the Stanislaus
. County civil grand jury said.
Then, the third paragraph says:
. It accuses them of violating the Brown Act, which governs
. public meetings in California. The grand jury also found
. that Crowder violated ethics laws in trying to influence
. council decisions pertaining to property near his home and
. in promising to use his political influence while seeking a job.
Although the name is in the third paragraph, I am sure that if the grand jury were to look in to our council meetings, they might find that at least two council members, one of them being the mayor, have been trying to influence the rest of the council (Farinha for sure) regarding the initiative and other issues. But, the beauty of this paragraph is that for over a year, the council has, very openly and knowingly I might add, violated the Brown Act.
At this point in time, I think it is time for the council members to take personal stock of themselves, what they have done, and make every attempt to rectify the problems. Now. Even to the point of accepting responsibility for their past issues and resigning. They would have better community standing if they were to do it BEFORE a grand jury looked in to the issues and tell the city to remove them from office.
At the same time, the coty attorney should take a look at his performance before an outside entity does. His antics, poor counsel, lack of counsel, and so on, should warrant a good look at as well. He has, quite knowingly, abused his legal privileges with regard to not just the initiative, but with other legal issues, including his fight over the naval base that put a whole lot of money in his pocket at the expense of the citizens of Patterson.
The article is about the Hughson city council and can be found here: http://tinyurl.com/y9da3x6
Did anyone else see this article and immediately think that it could, or should, apply here in Patterson?
OldTimer said,
December 23, 2009 @ 12:09 PM
If anyone is curious, the application for creating a report with the grand jury can be found here:
. http://www.stanct.org/Store/PageFiles/55-COMPLAINT%20FORM-2.pdf
And, the overview of the civil grand jury can be found here:
. http://tinyurl.com/y96ve67
That is some very interesting information. Here are the first two paragraphs:
. The Civil Grand Jury is empowered to investigate complaints from citizens,
. civic groups, government employees and others about the operations of
. county and city governments and the conduct of their officers and
. employees. The Civil Grand Jury may also investigate complaints within
. special districts and school districts.
.
. The Grand Jury is the guardian of public trust in local government. This is
. known as the “Civil Watchdog” function. The Grand Jury exists to assure
. honest, efficient government. Criminal indictments are now handled
. solely by the Criminal Grand Jury. The creation of a two-grand-jury system
. enables the Civil Grand Jury more time to focus on its oversight function.
“The guardian of public trust in local government” Exactly what this town needs at this point in time. The citizens have completely lost their trust of the council and city attorney. Just walk around town and ask people. I do and it is amazing the distrust that exists within our community.
What we need now are the citizens of this community to join me in turning in the complaint forms to the grand jury. It is time that we clean up this town.