First of all, I have been told that my blog is unprofessional and that you all prefer the consistency of  PC Blog.   That is the blog that is read by the “rich and powerful.”  It is read by the “important” people and the “people who count.”  Mine is read by low-level county employees and no one of importance.  I only get comments because of the low-level cops that read it.  Just ask its administrator.  That is what he told me.

I’ve been told that none of you really read iePolitics.  Devereaux denies reading it.  Dan Richards denies reading it.  Jeff Burum only notices if he gets something about himself in a Google Alert.  Mark Davidson gave up not long ago.  Mark Kirk gave up reading it over a year ago.  All the defense attorneys in the corruption cases deny reading it.  The entire Fifth Floor, with the exception of the Third District, denies reading it.  Sheriff Hoops tells me he doesn’t read it.  David Wert has told me he doesn’t care what it says.  Dean Arabatzis has told me he doesn’t read it.  I could go on and on.  NO ONE of importance reads iePolitics.

Second, you all say I’m “crazy,” so once again, why do you care what I write?  If it is written by a “crazy” woman, then obviously it has no more significance to any of you than if the stories appeared in the National Enquirer.   No one believes what is written in the National Enquirer so why should they believe what is written on iePolitics?  We have never broken a story, have never exposed corruption, have never gotten under anyone’s skin.

Third, you have told me that the blog is insignificant.  Ditto above.  So again I ask, why do you care what I write?

All of you have the exceptionally well-written PC Blog at your fingertips to tell you exactly what you want to hear.  Why not forget about iePolitics altogether and just read that blog?

Let me and our band of crazies do what we do and enjoy ourselves.  Obviously, a bunch of crazy people can’t possibly impact all the rich and powerful important people in San Bernardino County.  Go back to your wine and caviar at Red Hill Country Club and forget about us.  It will help you sleep better at night.  And we will continue having fun doing what we do impacting none of you but giving us a warm feeling nonetheless.

]]> http://iepolitics.net/2011/02/06/iepolitics-one-last-question-for-sally-jeff-and-the-fifth-floor/feed/ 4 http://iepolitics.net/2010/12/28/iepolitics-let-them-eat-cake-part-two/ http://iepolitics.net/2010/12/28/iepolitics-let-them-eat-cake-part-two/#comments Wed, 29 Dec 2010 01:45:52 +0000 Administrator http://iepolitics.com/?p=6980 Continue reading →]]>

Larry Enriquez

Despite attempts by the County Administrative Office to lead us astray, we have confirmed that a fireplace has in fact been installed in the Fifth Floor office of Larry Enriquez, chief of staff to Supervisor Gary Ovitt.  We have submitted a California Public Records Act request to determine how much was paid to Facilities Management to install this fireplace and whether or not a fireplace positioned on an interior wall meets code enforcement standards.  We will let you know when and if we get a direct answer rather than an another attempt at cover up.

I know I speak for hundreds of TAD employees who have been told that they would have to put up with 50 to 60-degree temperatures inside of their building; that wearing gloves because ones fingers are frozen is not allowed; that heaters at desks are not allowed; that due to an unexpected drop in temperature and the only jacket which happens to be made of an unacceptable material cannot be worn to keep warm; that lap blankets are not allowed; that if you don’t like working when it’s 53 degrees inside your office you should find another job, etc., the fireplace is absolutely outrageous.

David Wert is trying to convince me no taxpayer funds are being used.  So has Larry been billed for the installation?  The electricity?

Every time I think these bozos have sunk to the lowest of low,s they show me to be wrong.  They always manage to dig an even deeper hole all the while telling us they feel our pain and expecting us to sacrifice for their extravagance.

Reading the spin from county personnel on the issues at San Bernardino County-run Arrowhead Regional Medical Center (ARMC) has been interesting.  Or perhaps disgusting is a better word.

Some of you may remember the Fair Political Practices Commission complaint I filed back in March against Mark Uffer and Supervisors Paul Biane and Josie Gonzales.  I received notice from the FPPC that there was no violation despite the fact that all three of them along with countless others had been given free medical care at ARMC and did not report this gift of public funds on their FPPC Form 700s.

I followed up with a phone call to the FPPC and the investigator insisted she had been told by the county that these individuals had a right to this medical care as it was a part of their benefit package.  There was no arguing with her.

Then in June I filed several FPPC complaints against ARMC Medical Director Dr. Dev GnanaDev.  The FPPC refused to investigate despite documentation clearly showing that Dr. GnanaDev has millions of dollars in real property that he has not reported and has not reported his wife’s income she earns running his medical billing business.

Why did they refuse?  According to the FPPC investigator, she called and spoke with someone in the County Administrative Office and someone at the Clerk of the Board who informed the FPPC that Dr. GnanaDev has no reporting requirements.  This is despite the fact that his contract clearly states he must file a Form 700 and he was personally responsible for awarding over $21 million in contract, some of which he awards to himself.  Can you say conflict of interest?

Well, quietly, someone in the CAO and/or County Counsel’s Office corrected the County Code to include Dr. GnanaDev in the County Code as a mandated reporter.  All five board members voted on the change but apparently, none, either by accident or by design, didn’t bother to see that Dr. GnanaDev was made a Category 2 filer.  What is that significance?  It means Dr. GnanaDev does not have to report all of his conflicts of interest.

Now we have the FBI in town pulling information on Mark Uffer, Paul Biane, Josie Gonzales, and I believe Dr. GnanaDev for what we believe is in part the free medical care given to the county’s top executives.  I plan to be sure that the FBI knows that the County Administrative Office and County Counsel have known about this all along but have attempted to cover it up.   So I made a California Public Records Act request for information the county gave to the FPPC regarding my complaints.  Here is the pertinent part of David Wert’s response:

County Counsel cannot recall any correspondence with the FPPC regarding a complaint filed by you, and cannot recall the nature of any complaint filed with the FPPC by you. Could you please refresh our memory about the nature and date of your complaint, or provide me with a copy, so that the county can make a definite determination regarding your request?

And finally, the Board of Supervisors adopts the code that determines which positions shall file a Form 700 with the county. As you know, Dr. Gnanadev does file Forms 700 and that copies of his forms have been made available to you.

All I can say is, David, you should know by now I’m not going to give up!  We are hoping the FBI will seize the FPPC’s records so they can see what you told them.

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.

One of the worst abusers is Mark Kirk, former chief of staff to Chairman Gary Ovitt.  Former County Administrative Officer Mark Uffer turned over documentation to the District Attorney showing just that and we have been told a subpoena/search warrant was served on Kirk’s payroll records.  Where is the arrest warrant?

Bill Postmus is being prosecuted for allowing Gutierrez to work less than 80 hours a week.  Gary Ovitt should be prosecuted for allowing Mark Kirk and his other staff members to do the same thing.  Again, what is the District Attorney waiting for?

Perhaps most telling was  San Bernardino County Spokesperson David Wert’s comments:

County spokesman David Wert said he was not surprised by the verdicts against Gutierrez and that the decision bolsters a lawsuit the county has fired seeking restitution for misconduct in the Assessor’s Office.

“The jury’s verdict is consistent with the points that the county is making in its civil suit, and the county will move forward in its efforts to recover its losses,” Wert said.

We know that Wert is not allowed to make any comment on anything significant without the permission of County Administrative Officer Greg Devereaux.  That combined with the fact that Devereaux, along with the entire Board of Supervisors, has known for seven months that Human Resources Director Andrew Lamberto has lied, now three times, at the Gutierrez hearings regarding  the Exempt Benefit Plan, we can only assume that the Fifth Floor wants to see those who work less than 80 hours a pay period prosecuted.  We can also assume that Devereaux and the Supes no longer enjoy an amicable relationship with Jeff Burum or the Colonies Partners.  Obviously, they feel a conspiracy did in fact take place based on Wert’s comments.  So, where is the civil suit against Burum?

iePolitics has never made an apologies as to where our loyalties lie and that is with the rank-and-file county employees and the taxpayers.  Despite what many claim, we are about seeing justice.  Unless these three individuals and quite a few more from the Fifth Floor are charged for doing the exact same things as Gutierrez, then this has been nothing but a witch hunt.  It is time county government gets cleaned up.

Because I consider this to be a sensitive subject, I sent a public information request today to Sheriff Hoops, Deana Avey-Motikeit, and David Wert, asking for the basis for the change in policy and a copy of the written policy.  So far no response but I will give them until sometime tomorrow.

In the meantime, if anyone can shed some light on the issue, feel free to post here or send it to me at sharon@iepolitics.com.

• Will Assistant County Administrative Officer Dean Arabatzis now be required to work 40 hours a week at the County Government Center?  Five days a week, every week?
• Will the Fifth Floor continue to be a ghost town on both sides of the isle on Fridays?
• Will CAO Devereaux also work five days a week?
• Will County Counsel Ruth Stringer and her deputy county counsels be allowed to continue to accrue millions in leave balances?
• What will replace our beloved “Service First”?
• Will Chicken Man show up to board meetings in a chicken suit?
• Will Board of Supervisors staff follow Devereaux’s lead and start working five days a week, 40 hours a week?
• Will department heads caught lying and cheating have consequences similar to line staff?
• Will David Wert be required to work 40 hours a week, five days a week, every week?
• Will department heads who go on vacation be required to green-slip their time?
• Will non-elected department heads be allowed to continue bonking their line staff?
• Will anything be done about sexual harassment and racial discrimination in the work place?
• Will anything of significance ever get accomplished by the Fifth Floor in a timely manner?