Members of the California City City Council have continued interfering in the daily operations of the city in violation of a local ordinance, according to a Kern County grand jury report released Monday afternoon.
The
practice has fostered a culture of animosity and mistrust between the council
and department employees, the grand jury said, as well as a lack of trust
between city residents and the departments themselves.
In
addition, the grand jury said the city departments’ city purchasing practice
violate local ordinances and circumvent any oversight. The report says
departments are even unaware of their operating and maintenance budgets,
leaving the city open to waste of funds.
California
City City Manager Anna Linn didn’t immediately respond to a request for
comment.
The
issues with the City Council interfering in daily operations have been going on
for at least two years, the grand jury said, referencing a 2017-2018 report.
The
grand jury made several recommendations intended to fix the issues, including
having the city manager appoint a purchasing agent and increasing the spending
limit from $1,000 to $5,000 for purchases that don’t need City Council
approval.
The
jury recommended ethics training as well as general training so department
heads will know how to properly make purchases. The jury also recommended the
City Council “cease and desist” violating the municipal code by inserting
themselves in daily city operations.
The
city is required to respond to the grand jury’s report within 90 days.
The
Bakersfield Californian
Henry Barrios
August 3, 2020
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