FAIRFIELD — Fairfield city officials do not follow some of their own policies, including an administrative policy manual that is “necessary to protect the interests of the city, city employees and the public from unethical conduct and conflict of interest violations,” according to a 2018-19 civil grand jury report issued Thursday.
“Grand jury feels strongly that employees receive up-to-date and specific guidelines and procedures they can rely on, and there is oversight of those policies. Other inconsistencies in the Administrative Policy Manual were noted beyond those specifically addressed in the Findings and Recommendations,” a concluding comment in the report states.
Interim City Manager Sean Quinn was in back-to-back meetings Thursday afternoon and unavailable for comment.
The grand jury report issued five findings, and seven recommendations – two for the first finding and two for the fifth finding, which states that, “Several sections of the city’s current Administrative Policy Manual are incomplete and inaccurate.”
“Information provided to new employees is lacking in accuracy and refers to the Administrative Services Department and the Director of Administrative Services, which are nonexistent. In its current for, the manual cannot be totally relied upon by employees,” the report states. “It is further lacking in detail to protect the public and the city from potential conflict of interest activity by its employees.”
The comments were part of an 11-page report dated May 21. It was one of two reports issued. The other is about safety concerns at the Fairfield-Suisun School District’s three traditional high school campuses.
The grand jury initiated its investigation in response to a citizen complaint.
“Based on the information gathered by the grand jury, it became apparent there are certain city policies that are not followed. Additionally, there is a gap in the city’s wording of certain policies making those policies difficult to ascertain and unable to be carried out by city staff,” the summary in the report on Fairfield states.
“Expansion and updating of the city’s Administrative Policy is necessary to protect the interests of the city, city employees and the public from unethical conduct and conflict of interest violations,” the summary added.
The report strongly identifies the importance of not having even a perception of conflict, but does not give a single example of where conflicts may have been found.
Quinn – who stepped in on an interim basis after the departure of David White, under whose watch the concerns raised by the grand jury would have happened – has 60 to 90 days to respond.
Copies of the report were sent to members of the City Council and to the Solano County Board of Supervisors.
May 23, 2019
Fairfield Daily Republic
By Todd R. Hansen
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