CITY GOVERNMENT: Is Carmel-by-the-Sea a ‘Well Managed,’ ‘Open and Transparent’ City Government? (Part V)

ABSTRACT: E-Mail #1 (sent April 3 and resent April 12, 2013) from Paterson to Ilona Ng and Heather R. Coffman, Liebert Cassidy Whitmore (LCW), E-Mail #2 Ilona Ng, with Attachment, to Paterson and E-Mail #3 Paterson to Heather Coffman, with copies to J. Scott Tiedemann (Managing Partner LCW), City Administrator Jason Stilwell, Administrative Services Director Susan Paul, City Council Members Carrie Theis, Steve Hillyard, Victoria Beach, Ken Talmage and Mayor Jason Burnett, are presented.  Both City Administrator Jason Stilwell and Mayor Jason Burnett had knowledge and opportunity to intervene and stop the inappropriate and indefensible conduct of Assistant City Administrator/City Clerk Heidi Burch, but they both failed to demonstrate the requisite leadership to do so. Hypocritically, Mayor Jason Burnett demands Cal-Am accept public financing for its’ Monterey Peninsula Water Supply Project to reduce the overall cost of the project yet allows wasteful and unnecessary taxpayer money expenditures in the City of Carmel-by-the-Sea.

  

E-Mail #1 (sent April 3 and resent April 12, 2013) from Paterson to Ilona Ng and Heather R. Coffman, Liebert Cassidy Whitmore

Sent: Fri 4/12/2013

From: Paterson [SebViz2@sbcglobal.net]

To: 'Ilona Ng'; 'Heather R. Coffman'

Cc: 'Jason Stilwell'

Subject: FW: Response from City of Carmel-By-The-Sea to Request dated March 22, 2013

From: Paterson [mailto:SebViz2@sbcglobal.net] 

Sent: Wednesday, April 03, 2013 7:16 PM
To: 'Heather R. Coffman'
Cc: 'sebviz2@sbcglobal.net'
Subject: RE: Response from City of Carmel-By-The-Sea to Request dated March 22, 2013

Heather R. Coffman, Associate, Liebert Cassidy Whitmore:

Thank you for your response dated April 1, 2013.  However, in my e-mail to City Clerk Heidi Burch on March, 22, 2013 I requested “and any and all other materials related to the City’s fiduciary obligation to citizens to account for taxpayer money expenditures.”  Accordingly, “any and all other materials” means documents related to Expense Accounts 01 61051 0002, 01 61051 0040 and 01 61051.  Specifically, email me e-copies of documents pertaining to Expense Account Titles and Descriptions for Expense Accounts 01 61051 0002, 01 61051 0040 and 01 61051.

Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.

Ms. Paterson

E-Mail #2 Ilona Ng, with Attachment, to Paterson

Sent: Thu 4/18/2013

From: Ilona Ng [ing@lcwlegal.com]

To: SebViz2@sbcglobal.net

Cc: spaul@ci.carmel.ca.us; J. Scott Tiedemann; Heather R. Coffman

Subject: PRA Request to City of Carmel-By-the Sea

Attachments: Letter re Response to Further Request for Information.pdf

<> Dear Ms. Paterson:

Attached is a letter of today's date from Heather Coffman regarding the subject matter.  Please contact this office with any questions or concerns.  Thank you.

 

Letter re Response to Further Request for Information

E-Mail #3 Paterson to Heather Coffman (Associate LCW) with copies to J. Scott Tiedemann (Managing Partner LCW), City Administrator Jason Stilwell, Administrative Services Director Susan Paul, City Council Members Carrie Theis, Steve Hillyard, Victoria Beach, Ken Talmage and Mayor Jason Burnett. 

Sent: Fri 4/19/2013

From: Paterson [SebViz2@sbcglobal.net]

To: 'Ilona Ng'; 'Heather R. Coffman'

Cc: 'stiedemann@lcwlegal.com'; 'Jason Stilwell'; 'Susan Paul'; 'ctheis@ci.carmel.ca.us'; 'hillyard@onsoundings.com'; 'vbeach@ci.carmel.ca.us'; 'kktalm@aol.com'; 'Jason@BurnettforCarmel.com'

Subject: RE: PRA Request to City of Carmel-By-the Sea

Heather Coffman, Associate, Liebert Cassidy Whitmore:

For purposes of observation and review:

I.          My original e-mail was sent to then-Deputy City Clerk Molly Laughlin, City of Carmel-by-the-Sea, on March 2, 2013 and after 47 days has not been answered.

II.         City Administrator Jason Stilwell, Assistant City Administrator/City Clerk Heidi Burch and Mayor Jason Burnett appear oblivious to the fact that they, as public servants, serve the public; the public does not serve them. 

III.       My 2 March 2013 e-mail was a question which could have been answered by a competent city employee within five minutes by referring to the expense accounts on the check register and respective titles; my e-mail was not a formal public records act request.

While this charade generated monetary compensation at taxpayer expense for you and LCW, to me it represents time and effort which should have been constructively expended on legitimate legal cases.

Ms. Paterson