Written by Sean Janssen, The Union Democrat -
A Calaveras County supervisor who felt singled out by a highly critical grand jury report traded barbs Tuesday with the man who filed a complaint accusing him of having conflicts of interest.
Supervisor Tom Tryon, a 27-year member of the board, reiterated his disdain for a report that called for term limits and increased ethics training to combat “failure to recuse, cronyism … and undue influence.”
Tryon is seeking an eighth term in a November runoff against former Angels Camp Mayor Debbie Ponte.
Supervisors approved their official response to the report Tuesday, largely disagreeing with the half-dozen findings.
Tryon insisted the grand jury relied much too heavily on a complaint filed by Joe Kelly, an unabashed critic of Tryon who also made an unsuccessful run for Gary Tofanelli’s supervisorial seat in the June primary.
Tryon noted the same complaint had been found without merit by the state Fair Political Practices Commission.
“I don’t think I should have to stand aside (on votes) because Joe Kelly is delusional about Tom Tryon’s conflicts of interest,” Tryon said.
Kelly did not hesitate to respond when the item opened up to public comment.
“Doctor Tryon, I would like to see your medical license to say I’m delusional … you’re a liar, a thief and despicable,” he said. “I do believe that you don’t show the integrity of an elected official that should be standing there.”
Cliff Edson, the candidate who finished ahead of Kelly and faces Tryon in a November runoff, in a markedly calmer tone, came to his former opponent’s defense and said the exchange “shows the dysfunction” of the board.
“I think if someone wants to send off a complaint, that’s their right,” Edson said. “I don’t think anything deserves what we just went through.”
Al Segalla, of Copperopolis, a regular attendee of board meetings, also criticized the apparent lack of civility.
“I don’t usually get somebody to come to my point of view by attacking them,” Segalla noted.
Janet Clark, of Double Springs, a veteran of earlier grand juries, said Tryon made some valid points about being called out without explicitly being named.
“Anybody who watches these meetings … knew exactly what they were talking about,” Clark said. “You don’t have to hint … it left me dissatisfied.”
Supervisors Gary Tofanelli and Steve Wilensky were critical of a political tone to the election-year report each deemed inappropriate.
Wilensky also found the report too vague.
“More specificity would have allowed us to respond more specifically,” he said.
Wilensky is retiring at the end of his second term later this year but said the notion of a benefit to term limits is “completely disproved by state government.”
Tofanelli, a one-time grand jury foreman, said the grand jury “did not do due diligence” in that it did not interview each supervisor as part of its investigation, and added “I would not have signed this report” as a foreman.
He said the grand jury overstepped its bounds.
“Term limits are not something I see as under the purview of a grand jury … I’m aghast at why they even went down that avenue,” Tofanelli said.
First-term Supervisor Darren Spellman offered the board’s only considerable praise for the report.
“I guess I’m a minority in the board opinion in that I thought there were some things that were very succinct and to the point,” Spellman said.
He thought a finding that committee assignments need greater rotation is particularly apt when it comes to the Calaveras Council of Governments.
Spellman said he believes no supervisor who represents Angels Camp, as Tryon does, ought to sit on the transportation panel as it already includes two city council members.
“This has nothing to do with (Tryon) but this has propensity to give (Angels Camp) undue influence on CCOG,” Spellman said.
“I appreciate the service these people (on the grand jury) have rendered on behalf of the citizens of this county … there are certainly some things in here that need to be addressed,” he said.
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