By Tom Lochner
Contra Costa Times
Posted: 06/17/2011 04:06:35 PM PDT
Updated: 06/18/2011 05:22:37 AM PDT
A Contra Costa grand jury report released Friday urges the Hercules City Council to "come together immediately" to get a handle on the city's deteriorating finances, set long-term goals and adopt procedures to prevent mismanagement.
The report comes a year after the grand jury blasted Hercules for a lack of transparency in government and for tolerating conflicts of interest, nepotism and no-bid contracts, especially in its affordable housing program.
The latest report, "Hercules in Transition," reiterates many points in last year's report and doesn't reflect many recent changes in city government. Although the report notes the formation of a Citizens Finance Advisory Ad Hoc Committee in January, it urges the council to take steps to solicit residents' participation.
In February, the council also formed the Bayfront Task Force, a residents' group to provide input on the stalled development of the waterfront, where an intermodal transit center and a mixed-use, pedestrian-, bicycle- and transit-friendly development are planned. In addition, the council put together a panel of residents earlier this year to help in the selection of a broker to sell the half-finished Sycamore North mixed-use development.
The report also recommends filling vacant key management positions expeditiously.
In April, the council formed the City Attorney Ad Hoc Committee to assist in the hiring of a new city attorney in the wake of current City Attorney Mick Cabral's announcement that he will retire this year. The city also is searching for a city manager to replace interim City Manager Fred Deltorchio, who announced he will retire June 30. The report at times does not clearly distinguish between past and present occupants of the city manager's post nor between the 2010 council and the current one, which since November has two new members. It accuses the council of an over-reliance on the city manager for information and a failure to verify it, in an apparent throwback to the 2009-2010 report.
Former City Manager Nelson Oliva went on medical leave in October. That month, the council hired Charlie Long as interim city manager, only to dismiss him in December and summon Oliva back from medical leave. Oliva resigned in January and to fill the vacancy, the council hired then-Police Chief Fred Deltorchio as interim city manager.
Deltorchio publishes a weekly city manager's report and briefs the council and public at council, committee and subcommittee meetings. In contrast to a year ago, big-money items no longer routinely breeze through the council on the consent calendar.
One of the grand jury's findings is downright baffling. As an example of "lack of transparency and openness," it cites "not having public comment at the beginning of council meetings." A public comment period early in the council meeting is long-established practice in Hercules.
Lloyd Bell, a member of the 2010-2011 grand jury, noted that the report covers an entire year during which Hercules underwent a lot of transition. Some changes would not be reflected if they occurred when the report already was in the review and editing process, he said.
Contact Tom Lochner at 510-262-2760
http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_18301919
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