Linda Haugan
To the person who sent me the documents:
I have not been able to pick up my mail for over a month. I finally able to get my mail today and your package was among the mail I picked up. It will take me a day or two, but I will get a story up. Thank you.
If anyone else has information on unethical/illegal behavior by Linda Haugen/Andrew Lamberto or any other government official, you can send it to PO Box 2722, Apple Valley, California 92307.
Jim Erwin
Jeff Burum
Mark Kirk
Paul Biane
So, how do you boys feel now? Were the accommodations comfy? Food good? Those stainless steel toilets are really special, aren’t they? Some people deserve such extravagance. Like Rex. Because “He lied.”
I have not updated a story from several months ago because we have been working behind the scenes to make things happen and I did not want to tip off the county. We have been successful in getting both the Department of Fair Employment and Housing and the Department of Insurance involved in what is happening in Human Resources and with Hartford. I’m not sure when both will be served, but it’s coming.
That leaves only the Worker’s Compensation situation. I received not one, but two, very disheartening letters today from county employees who are being screwed over by Risk Management and HR in regards to legitimate worker’s comp claims.
I’m in a rather pissy mood today because I spent much of it dealing with my own lawsuits against the county, most of which are a direct result of Andrew Lamberto’s lies and vindictiveness. Although I am mostly comfortable with what occurred yesterday, that are aspects to it that sadden me greatly. Those aspects are probably not what most of you think they are and I will get into them in the “Behind the Scenes” series.
Once again the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors has shown its collective lack of backbone and governance as well as its willingness to shirk ethics. Last week’s mid-week budget included hidden agendas for those seeking additional power in county government.
One such “hidden” item was the transfer of human resources and previously vehicle services functions from County Fire and Special Districts to the county. This has been in the works for about 18 months and was first attempted as Mark Uffer and Ruth Stringer were attempting to give their partner in crime, Andrew Lamberto, an excuse for an Assistant Administrative Officer position. Lamberto hid the original proposal in a closed session personnel board item totally unrelated to the move.
In a comment one of the bloggers asked me something along those lines. This is a post I have been trying to write for a week or so. If you dare to read it, expect it to be long and rambling as I have a lot to say about the scandal, the defendants and the John Does. I’m not even sure where to start.
Much of what I think about the Colonies scandal is no different that what I thought a year ago after the arrests were made and the John Does were “named.” But some has.
I’ve been relatively silent about my situation lately because I am doing a number of things behind the scenes with individuals the county can’t threaten. I have been enlisting the help of those in high places.
I will not give all the details as to how this came about, but I just got off the phone with the Department of Fair Employment and Housing after having spoke with their deputy director last week. I will be meeting with a state investigator next week. There is already one other employee scheduled to meet with the investigator.
First off, it’s a little late in the day, but HAPPY NEW YEAR to everyone. Let’s start with the easy predictions first.
Arrowhead Regional Medical Center
If the Federal Bureau of Investigation has control of the investigation and is conducting it thoroughly, we have every reason to believe that Mark Uffer, Josie Gonzales, Paul Biane, Dr. Dev GnanaDev, and Jessica Brown will be indicted. There could be numerous other elected and appointed officials involved as well but those are the names we hear were on the search warrants.
This prediction is based on my own observations while I worked at ARMC as well as talking with those that were required to provide officials with service. My former desk partner had worked in the emergency room and was responsible for processing in many “VIPs.”
I’m told that County Administrative Officer Greg Devereaux witnessed something this past week that caught even him off guard. As we reported earlier, Public Defender employees were called into a 5 p.m. meeting on December 14 where Devereaux announced the termination of Public Defender Doreen Boxer and the demise of her lieutenants, Lauri Ferguson and Martin Dante. He also announced the appointment of Phyllis Morris as interim Public Defender. Employees stood and jubilantly clapped and cheered at the news.
Obviously, Boxer, Ferguson and Dante, were despotic managers who ran amok. To effect such emotion out of most of a department’s staff, however, takes more than bad managers. In a system where there are checks and balances, four years of illegal personnel actions and a hostile work environment simply should have never happened. But it did.
Thursday, December 16, 2010 – 03:45 p.m.
The dust from San Bernardino County Public Defender Doreen Boxer’s ouster hasn’t even settled yet and already information on what actually transpired in her department is starting to float to the surface.
Sources say San Bernadino County will now review personnel actions Boxer took against members of her staff, which resulted in employee discipline.
Terminated employees may be offered their employment back, including lost wages.
However, some serious questions need to be answered here.
San Bernardino County Courthouse
If ever there is a judge that the US Department of Justice needs to investigate, it is Judge Duke D. Rouse. He has clearly become a bagman for District Attorney Mike Ramos.
Many things went on during the Rex Gutierrez trial that were never written about in the media. One of them is the fact that Gutierrez’ attorney, Jim Reiss, became very ill during the proceedings. Reiss asked that the trial be continued so that he could seek medical treatment. Rouse refused.
A couple of stories appeared over at www.inlandpolitics.com regarding the county refusing to settle my worker’s compensation claim if I have the blog and/or refuse to resign. Some new help has stepped forward, so I expect the taxpayers will be saddled with paying yet another contract with a law firm to fight what we will be doing. I’m in it for the long haul, so whatever.
In the process I have had to dig out correspondence between me and a former attorney. Until I read it, I forgot just how insistent the county was that I resign despite that I have never been disciplined in any way for work performance, only for having a blog that has been done on my own time and for union activity that took place mostly on my own time. (I was a rep so I was allowed some county time to attend to union business.)
Editor’s Note: For a blog that “no one reads,” stories that are printed on it sure do have the tendency to create havoc. We knew there would be several additional names to this list, but then presents drop from the sky. And those presents were read by the defense.
iePolitics has obtained a partial list of witnesses expected to be called as a part of the upcoming corruption trial in People v. Postmus, et al. Attorneys for the defendants have given the judge an expected length of seven to eight weeks for the trial. Here are the names we have been given so far:
Bret Henry
I am going to start this by responding to the two people who used a number of various names on the blog but that 95 percent of the negative comments came from. I chose to remain silent for a day just to see where this would go and it went exactly where I expected it to go as I had been warned ahead of time what the thugs at the Fire union are capable of doing.
You see Bret, Bobby, and the rest of you, you can call me crazy and I could not care less. You can write whatever lies you would like to and I also don’t care. Have you heard the saying, “Don’t underestimate the power of someone who has nothing to lose.” Well, I have absolutely nothing to lose and that sets me apart from your other victims.
Editor’s Note: For a blog that “no one reads,” stories that are printed on it sure do have the tendency to create havoc. We knew there would be several additional names to this list, but then presents drop from the sky. And those presents were read by the defense.
iePolitics has obtained a partial list of witnesses expected to be called as a part of the upcoming corruption trial in People v. Postmus, et al. Attorneys for the defendants have given the judge an expected length of seven to eight weeks for the trial. Here are the names we have been given so far:
I want to see some action. The District Attorney’s Office claims they prosecute criminals based on evidence, not on politics. It is time they prove it.
Yesterday former Assessor’s Office employee Rex Gutierrez was convicted of conspiring with former Assessor Bill Postmus and West End developer Jeff Burum. It is time now to prosecute both Postmus and Burum for the same crime. Neither have been charged. What is the District Attorney waiting for?
Also yesterday, Gutierrez was convicted of time card fraud. Numerous Exempt employees are as guilty or more guilty than Gutierrez. It is time we clean up the Fifth Floor.
Friday, October 22, 2010 – 12:10 p.m.
The retrial of former San Bernardino County Assessor employee and Rancho Cucamonga city councilman Rex Gutierrez, make no mistake, has had its share of twist and turns.
The biggest twist came with the testimony of county human resources director Andrew Lamberto.
The testimony of Lamberto was critical in a case like Gutierrez. A case alleging time card fraud.
Gutierrez, while employed with San Bernardino County, was a salaried FLSA-Exempt employee. Meaning Gutierrez was salaried and exempt from the overtime provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act. (FLSA)
Meaning that as long as Gutierrez worked at least one (1) hour per work period, he is to be compensated for the entire day.
Andrew’s got some ‘splaining to do. Transcripts clearly showing San Bernardino County’s Director of Human Resources Andrew Lambert purposely mangled the truth while testifying at the Gutierrez trial two weeks ago have been turned over to the Board of Supervisors and County Administrative Office. In the meantime, iePolitics has received a considerable number of hits this morning from the FBI on the posts regarding Lamberto’s perjury.
Lamberto’s testimony could not only send an innocent man to prison, but may very well impact numerous others working for the Board of Supervisors and County Administrative Office. Mark Kirk in particular has been targeted by District Attorney investigators, and based on information from a confidential informant, we believe they have stepped up their investigation in the past week. We have been told he is one of the individuals whose payroll records have been subjected to a search warrant/subpoena.
District Attorney investigators are still nosing around. There is not a lot they can do about the Colonies issue, at least not legally. That is not to say they won’t convince Rouse to sign something for someone so they can get in a last shot or two before their boss is led away in handcuffs.
However, now that Human Resources Director Andrew Lamberto has re-written the Exempt Compensation Plan for them on the witness stand, there is hardly a safe Exempt employee. Few work 8 to 5.
Andrew Lamberto is not liking life these days. His shenanigans the other week on the witness stand would have brought about attaboys a few years back. But that was before blogs and before the widespread use of the Internet as a main news source. No longer are readers limited to the one-sided reporting of mainstream media.
Some would say we are one-sided as well and I will admit that sometimes we are. I don’t always see the point in rehashing the other side. We are more about reporting what mainstream media leaves out.
That’s the night the lights went out in Georgia
That’s the night that they hung an innocent man
Don’t trust your soul to no back woods Southern lawyer
Cause the judge in the towns got bloodstains on his hand
Last night I printed the email I sent to the Board of Supervisors regarding the fact that San Bernardino County Human Resources Director Andrew Lamberto had perjured himself on the witness stand in the Rex Gutierrez preliminary hearing where he insisted that Exempt (Salaried) employees must work 80 hours a pay period. He did so again at the first trial and even more forcefully and blatantly at the current trial. We will be providing those transcripts as soon as they are made available to us.
The Board of Supervisors was made aware of Lamberto’s testimony at the time of the preliminary hearing because it contradicted what he had told them. Because of Rex Gutierrez’ arrest, inquiries had been made regarding Exempt employee work requirements. According to the County of San Bernardino Exempt Compensation Plan, employees classified as “exempt” have to work the number of hours necessary to carry out their duties.
When this language originally came into being, it had to do with the fact that Exempt employees often worked more hours than regular employees, thus the higher compensation package. However, over the years, it has become more common for Exempt employees to work fewer hours, depending on where they work. This language is also meant to take into account the fact that certain positions require a lot of after-hours and weekend meetings and events as well as the ability to work from home.
As we said, Rex’s arrest sent Exempt employees scrambling because, if he could be arrested for time card fraud for not working a traditional 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. schedule or a full 40 hours a week, so could they. An inquiry was made to Lamberto by the Third Supervisorial District. Here is the exchange:
This week we expect to see San Bernardino County Human Resources director Andrew Lamberto recalled to the stand in the trial of Rex Gutierrez. After Lamberto’s testimony two weeks ago where he clearly perjured himself on the stand, several of us worked behind the scenes to bring his most recent crime out in the public.
After his perjured testimony at the beginning of this year, I sent the following email to the BOS. It should be noted that email sent to the addresses I used goes directly to their personal Blackberries/iPhones.
Subject: So when is everyone going to receive equal treatment?
Adam Aleman
Are you listening US Attorney? San Bernardino County is in crisis. It is a crisis that mocks our justice system; one that distorts the truth; and one where integrity is a forgotten. Bringing about justice is no longer the highest priority of our county prosecutors; winning at any and all cost is their goal—a goal that has little to do integrity, truth or . . . justice.
There are many lesser-known stories of justice gone awry in our county. Ours starts with a little-known manager at the local Outback Steakhouse who went on to make headlines. His name is familiar to all of us. It is Adam Aleman.
Aleman caught the attention of then-Supervisor Bill Postmus many years ago. He eventually left Outback Steakhouse to become a member of Postmus’ Board of Supervisors staff.
Bob Schrieber
The atmosphere in Judge Michael Smith’s courtroom today was 180 degrees opposite of just a week ago. Much of that likely had to do with a notable absence, PIU boss Bob Schreiber, who was never to be seen today. Even the bailiff seemed to have a change of heart and tried to be helpful.
The always-bigoted Bud Hollis toned down his testimony as well today as he got lesson after lesson about telling the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. He had to admit that he had never read county policy regarding exempt employees. For example, during three years of investigation and a price tag already of $4 million, he had never bothered to read the part of the Exempt Compensation Plan that says: Continue reading
I receive requests almost daily from readers wanting recommendations for attorneys. Tonight I added a few more to the list in the sidebar. If you have received excellent results and customer service from an attorney, send up his/her information and we will add them to the list.
I don’t think there are too many people who did not question the way in which former County Administrative Officer Mark Uffer was fired and current County Administrative Officer Greg Devereaux was hired. Although long-time readers of iePolitics expected both events as we broke the Devereaux story months before Uffer was fired, non-readers were caught off guard.
Devereaux was picked out to succeed Uffer over a year before Uffer’s termination. Mark and I had that conversation more than once. I believe there may even be an email from me in his claim against the county hinting at that.
San Bernardino County never ceases to amaze me. As I wrote about a couple of days ago, I received notice from my attorney that Uffer’s attorney wants to depo me. The county REALLY wants my cooperation in this matter whether they know it or not. So, what do they do?
We hear that San Bernardino County Transitional Assistance Department (TAD) Deputy Director (?) Lucy Gigena has resigned. Correct me if I’m wrong, but wasn’t her appointment from ESP district manager to TAD deputy director recent?
I remember we previously discussed her affinity for sharing her sex life with her staff. It pales in comparison to the other district manager we have featured several times who is known by her staff as the “C—” because she likes to tell her staff which orifice her boyfriend/husband inserted himself into during any given interlude the night before.
Linda Haugan
We received confirmation from a fifth TAD office today that the original email that was sent out banning fans and radios stated that it was because they had exceeded their electricity allotment. There was nothing about fire hazards or electrical strips. Supervisors have been told that fans and radios will be allowed but not to spread the word. So, let your employees get sick from the heat and smell and don’t say anything unless they beg.
Supervisor Derry,
No, that title is not in reference to you. I was asked to pass this along in reference to your question a few weeks ago regarding SBPEA and the County of San Bernardino.
It seems Andrew Lamberto/Linda Haugan/Bob Blough are at it again. Remember that email I sent to you and George that you both ignored regarding PID Chief Virginia Lugo, et al., using C-IV to run all employees to see if they have ever been on a welfare case of any kind? Well sometimes illegal activities backfire.
I wasn’t going to blog about this because there really is no point right now in arguing the merits of the case. Anyone who has read this blog for any length of time know where I stand on the issue. No one is going to believe the outcome I predicted months ago until depositions start being taken and evidence that hasn’t been made available yet becomes public. Some of you are on Cheryl’s side and some of you are on Mike’s side and I’m not going to change anyone’s opinion.
To the Honorable Members of the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors,
Haven’t you had enough yet? Honestly, why wasn’t County Counsel Ruth Stringer fired today? She does not work for County Administrative Officer Greg Devereaux. She works for you. And she should have been fired TODAY!
I only wish I could share with the readers of iePolitics the details of her latest fiasco—a fiasco that has already been expensive and one that almost cost you, the taxpayers, an additional very large sum of money.
We are hearing that San Bernardino County Auditor-Controller/Recorder terminated his assistant Betsy Starbuck today. Betsy has been with Larry since at least 1991 when she served as Chief of Staff while he was Chairman of the Board of Supervisors. Rumors have been surfacing for months about discord between Walker and Starbuck over deputy recorder and mistress Deanna Thompson.
It seems things did not improve much for the prosecution this afternoon in the Rex Gutierrez trial. San Bernardino County Deputy District Attorney John Goritz continued with his monotonous presentation of the People’s case. Goritz attempted to advance his “conspiracy” theory even though no one is charged with conspiracy. For that matter, the main “conspirator” isn’t charged with anything. Continue reading
I’ve stayed away from the blog all day because I needed to take a few thousand deep breaths before I wrote this post. Neil, of all of the supervisors you are the one that has had my and my readers’ most continuous support. Sure, there have been a few bumps in the road along the way, but overall, you have not seen our venom like the other four supervisors and your predecessor have. That is coming really close to changing.
For the record, I have spoken with George, who I consider to be a good friend, about all of this and mostly feel like I’ve been beating my head against the wall. I know there are those who have spoken directly to you and are feeling a bit the same way. What the heck has happened to you and Third District and all the promise you once showed?
Neil, I thought you were a Marine. Geez, you have got to grow some balls. This milk toast version is not very appealing. We need some leadership not yet another castrated supervisor incapable of doing the right thing. Continue reading
I’m going to preface this by saying I am fine. I AM NOT the least bit suicidal. However, Hartford Insurance and San Bernardino County Human Resources are trying their damndest to change that. Hartford is once again screwing with me and I know Andrew Lamberto is a part of it. I’m turning everything over to my attorneys because I can’t deal with them, but if anything should happen to me, Hartford and the County need to be sued on my family’s behalf. Again, I AM FINE, but if I have to deal with these asses I won’t be.
I am hearing one horror story after another about Hartford Insurance. They are the WORST insurance company I have ever dealt with. They are the biggest bunch of lying bastards. I just hate them with a passion as I do Human Resources. Anyway, the only reason for this post is to be sure my wishes are known if anything should ever happen.
Late last week it was announced that Assistant Fire Chief Dan Wurl was named to replace retiring Fire Chief Pat Dennen. And with that announcement came the stories and with the stories came the re-hash of last year’s trailer incident. So the newspaper blogs were busy with derogatory remarks about both Dan and Pat. And that’s a problem.
You see, the story that Mark Uffer and Andrew Lamberto told to the Board of Supervisors and the media wasn’t exactly the truth. As a matter of fact it was a huge cover up for their own lies and empire building. Those two tried to destroy Pat and Dan for their own financial rewards. And Mark and Andrew covered for a few others who were greasing hands of certain politicians. Continue reading
Yep, that is right. There are a few people who are shopping this weekend for leak-proof undergarments. Monday the Rex Gutierrez criminal trial will be underway.
Let’s see . . . first up is our favorite yellow singing Canary, Confidential Informant No. 1, “persona au gratin,” the star witness for the prosecution . . . Adam Aleman. I wonder which stories he will tell next week. There is such a long list of them. Maybe it will be the one about the off-shore bank accounts. By the way Adam, Bill and Jim found their debit cards so they don’t need your help after all. Or perhaps it is the $1.02 million Jim Brulte received in kickbacks. Or the rat trap left on your porch. The bullet through the mail, maybe? Oh, the list is endless. Continue reading
I’m really trying to be patient. Honestly I am. I know former County Administrative Officer Mark Uffer left behind a mess, proportions of which county brass is still trying to determine.
But . . . this county is in dire straits, ethically speaking that is. I really want to believe what my friends who know current County Administrative Officer Greg Devereaux say about him. I really do. I really, really do. Because if it isn’t true, this county is going bankrupt. Continue reading
I feel sometimes like we are beating a dead horse. Unfortunately, that dead horse keeps coming back to life and rearing its ugly head. There are several San Bernardino County department heads that have to go. The county simply cannot afford to keep them on in these economic times. Federal court and federal juries do not care how broke San Bernardino County may be when it awards judgments. And Mr. Devereaux, you have some complete idiots (note HROs: be sure to print this out to add it to “the list”) running the show who are going to ultimately cost taxpayers dearly.
At the top of the list is County Counsel Ruth Stringer. How much longer are you going to tolerate her half-ass legal advice? When you take an attitude of “we have 138 attorneys, so bring it on,” as did our former County Administrative Officer and our current County Counsel has, you’re assuming you can outlast us all. Not all of us go away easily or cheaply. Continue reading
I’m not sure who to thank but THANK YOU!!!! I received the package. Boy is Lamberto and a few others going to have egg on their faces! Also, now I realize I owe Kirk and Zook apologies. It seems my recent impression of Matt Brown and Paul Biane are the correct impressions. Nice to know Matt has been burning me for so long. I hope to publish the documents on the blog but need to talk to my attorney first. Continue reading
By Glenn Barr
With a $90 million budget deficit and likely layoffs looming for next fiscal year, San Bernardino County’s financial picture has worsened in the past few days with the discovery of millions of dollars in unfunded liabilities.
County officials have yet to determine how much money could be owed to employees who have accumulated leave time for which they must eventually be paid, said Chief Administrative Officer Gregory Devereaux, who said he intends to try to figure it out after the new fiscal year begins on July 1.
The problem stems from the fact, he told The Mountain News on Tuesday, that the county has historically never capped the amount of leave time that can be accrued by so-called “exempt” employees, whose jobs are not covered by civil service protection. Continue reading
I had the opportunity to spend some time yesterday discussing the current San Bernardino County’s budget situation and was able to obtain some feedback on the thinking behind what is happening, and to further explain my point that not reducing the county workforce now, will cause greater pain later.
Let’s face it. Signs of the current economic downturn were visible as early as 2006. I brought up the potential collapse in real estate prices and the effect on the county while working at the Assessor’s office then. I was laughed at by many at the government center.
No one is laughing now. Continue reading
How many times must a man look up
Before he can see the sky?
Yes, ’n’ how many ears must one man have
Before he can hear people cry?
Yes, ’n’ how many deaths will it take till he knows
That too many people have died?
The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind,
The answer is blowin’ in the wind.
So how many employees does Deanna Thompson get to torture before someone realizes she needs the axe? I believe the count is currently up to nine, some of which have already filed lawsuits against the county.
So how many lawsuits do county employees have to file before Andrew Lamberto also gets the axe? There is a long list of employees who are in the process of filing lawsuits against the county due to the ineptness of Lamberto and his HROs.
Jim Lindley, former, and I love using that term “former,” director of Public Health is out the door. That’s right, FIRED! and I can’t think of a more deserving Public Health Employee.
Since Lindley’s appointment to Public Health, department employees have been in an uproar over his lack of qualifications. He, along with former County Administrative Officer Mark Uffer, revamped the department and what employees claim was to be a merger with Arrowhead Regional Medical Center (ARMC). Employees are breathing a sigh of relief that he is gone. I know they hope to get back to the business of public health and away from empire building.
Peter Wulfman, division manager for Solid Waste Management, has also been terminated. It has been suggested he undermined many projects.
You say you want transparency and to clean up corruption in San Bernardino County. So, when are you going to do something about one of your own—our very own Director of Human Resources, Andrew Lamberto?
Lamberto lied under oath at the Preliminary Hearing for Rex Gutierrez. Unfortunately, at the time Rex’s attorney did not know about the memo that Lamberto authored regarding the issue of time card fraud and exempt employees. But he know now! And from what I’ve heard, he has subpoenaed it. Continue reading
If Rex Gutierrez actually makes it to trial as scheduled, and yes I doubt the case will go to trial, it will be a lesson in lack of ethics and integrity amongst county and former county employees and I’m not talking about Rex.
First up will be Confidential Informant No. 1, our illustrious “Persona Au Gratin,” singing Canary extraodinaire Adam Aleman, who if he has the misfortune of making it to the witness stand will be able to impress jurors with his magnificant command of the English language, especially the big words he likes to throw around whether he knows what they mean or not. The jury will be entertained at least. Continue reading
With the pending arrival of newly hired San Bernardino County Administrative Officer Greg Devereaux, we are pondering some points:
“Cautiously optimistic” and “nervous” are two of the phrases I have heard repeatedly about San Bernardino County’s new head honcho, County Administrative Officer Greg Devereaux. Even before assuming office, Devereaux has ended a decades-long policy of 9-80s for county management, a move that makes line staff very nervous as many depend on “flex time” to survive in these hard economic times. But it is also a sign that Devereaux is not going to be afraid to lead.
After six years of despot leadership by former County Administrative Officer Mark Uffer and his band of thugs, it is easy to understand why line staff are wary of our new leader. I’ve been asked my opinion repeatedly by everyone from the lowest level employee to managers to newspaper reporters. Here is my standard response:
Seeing Devereaux’s close, personal relationship with the Fourth District makes me nervous on a personal level, especially when considering what the Fourth District recently did to me. That being said, I have two friends who are long-term city of Ontario employees who have nothing but respect for Devereaux. They are rank-and-file and are allowed to work 9-80s. Ontario employees, most of whom are represented by San Bernardino County Public Employees Association, have the best contracts of any governmental agency in San Bernardino County.
From what I hear from those that know Devereaux, he is tough but also fair. I also hear he will not take the crap from county managers that Uffer not only tolerated, but encouraged. He will not play the games Uffer played and will not tolerate bad managers. Unlike Uffer, he is consistently described as a ‘professional.’ Continue reading
Former San Bernardino County Assessor’s Office Intergovernmental Affairs Director Rex Gutierrez appeared in court today for preliminary hearing on charges of embezzlement and grand theft relating to time card fraud. His case was bound over for trial starting in about 60 days.
Among the witnesses was San Bernardino County Human Resources Director Andrew Lamberto, who testified that Gutierrez’s work hours were determined by his immediate supervisor, former Assistant Assessor Adam Aleman. Aleman has already plead guilty to four felonies in connection with the scandal, including presenting a false claim, in exchange for his testimony against the remaining defendants.
Lamberto’s assertion appears to be in direct conflict with state law, which does not restrict a salaried employee’s work schedule except for sick leave and vacation time. The county’s position has been that Exempt employees, such as Gutierrez, defendant Greg Eyler, and all the staff members for the Board of Supervisors (BOS), County Counsel, and the County Administrative Office are in fact salaried employees who are not required to work a set number of hours. This sudden switch in policy described at today’s hearing by Lamberto will likely result in not only a much more intensive grilling of Lamberto at trial, but also subpoenas being issued to the five Chiefs of Staff to the Board of Supervisors as well as those in the County Administrative Office and County Counsel to explain the disparate treatment of employees covered under the same Memorandum of Understanding and the same California Labor Codes. Continue reading