By Jose Gaspar, Eyewitness News and BakersfieldNow.com
Published: Aug 24, 2011 at 12:49 PM PDT
MARICOPA, Calif. — The city of Maricopa released its long-awaited response to scathing reports by the Kern County Grand Jury. While the city agreed on some points raised by the grand jury, it rejected others and flatly disagreed on one key point: Maricopa will not disincorporate.
A series of reports by the grand jury questioned city financial practices, the professionalism of its police department as well as the city granting an exclusive contract with Randy's Towing, in which the city received 25 percent of impound storage fees.
Eric Ziegler, former city manager of Taft, was brought on staff to help the ailing city, and it was Ziegler who drafted the city's response to the grand jury. City council members adopted his recommended response.
They agreed to follow some the recommendations made by the grand jury, such as developing a plan for debt payment.
The grand jury also recommended disbanding the police department, calling its two-man force "unprofessional and lacking integrity."
But Ziegler maintained doing away with the police department was premature, and noted that some in the community were not happy with the level of service previously provided by the Kern County Sheriff's Office when Maricopa contracted with the county for police services.
http://www.bakersfieldnow.com/news/local/128299548.html
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The city of Maricopa released its long-awaited response to scathing reports by the Kern County Grand Jury. While the city agreed on some.
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