Wednesday, August 10, 2011

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: Confidentiality and Nondisclosure Agreement, Regional Seawater Desalination Project

ABSTRACT: HIGHLIGHTS of Letters to the Editor regarding the Confidentiality and Nondisclosure Agreement, Regional Seawater Desalination Project, are presented; links to the complete letters are provided.

HIGHLIGHTS:
What is not understandable is that, as far as we know, not even one of the attorneys involved advised the mayors that they did not have independent authority to unilaterally sign the agreement. As a result of this collective oversight, it is my understanding that the agreement is not legally enforceable…I cannot at this point blame the mayors. But perhaps it would be a good time for them to have a discussion with their respective councils."

Source: Letters: Silent treatment required backing of councils, Mike Brown Carmel, The Monterey County Herald, 08/12/2011

To all six conspiratorial mayors of Sand City, Pacific Grove, Monterey, Carmel, Seaside and Del Rey Oaks who signed the non-disclosure agreement concerning the completely corrupted regional desalination plant,...I am disgusted and ashamed of you because you have given credence to the criticism that we are ethically corrupt and morally bankrupt backroom dealers with no respect for the law or the public.”

Source: Letters: Some advice before resigning, J.A. Sullivan Pacific Grove, The Monterey County Herald, 08/10/2011

Relative to the CDO mediation, outside counsel Russ McGlothlin of Brownstein Hyatt Farber and Schreck prepared a confidentiality and nondisclosure agreement for signature. Signatories were advised by city attorneys Deborah Mall and Don Freeman that the nondisclosure agreement and all pertinent documents were subject to the Public Records Act.”

Source: Letters: Clearing air around editorial, Deborah Mall and Don Freeman, The Monterey County Herald, 08/07/2011
Editor's note: Mall is the Monterey city attorney and Freeman is the city attorney for Carmel and Seaside.

Unless these elected and appointed officials take immediate steps to resign from the agreement, the public should regard them as weaklings and cowards, lacking the character to hold public office. A public office is a public trust. It is high time that they start making themselves available to answer questions.”

Source: Letters: Hate the silent treatment, Thomas Ethington Pacific Grove, The Monterey County Herald, 08/06/2011

Then in June, the mayors and Cal Am all agreed in writing to keep the details of these back-room dealings a secret from the public. My question is, given the definition of criminal conspiracy, when will the indictments against the mayors and Cal Am be filed by the Monterey County district attorney. Do we need the attorney general to come in and clean up this mess?”

Source: Letters: Backroom deal screams conspiracy, M. Saraka Seaside, The Monterey County Herald, 08/03/2011

ADDENDUM:
Joe Livernois: Ethics in public service a quaint notion, The Monterey County Herald, 08/12/2011

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

It would be a good time for the 6 mayors to have a press conference and answer questions from the press and the public about their secret meetings and the now not-so-secret agreement. It would also be good for the mayors to tear up the agreement, stop meeting in secret and announce a date for a public forum on the RP.