Williams to be audited

     About an hour ago, the Voice of OC reported that OC Public Administrator/Guardian John Williams is in for an audit:

County to Launch Audit of Public Administrator

     County officials are launching an audit of Public Administrator/Public Guardian John Williams that will look specifically at how his office liquidates large estates.
     The forthcoming audit, requested by County Supervisor Pat Bates, is the latest in a string of investigations into Williams' office. Meanwhile, Williams has retained influential political lawyer Phil Greer, who was instrumental in helping Williams lobby the fifth floor last year.
     Greer said Monday that Williams himself was calling on county Chief Executive Tom Mauk to audit his operations.
     "Williams is very comfortable with how the office is run," said Greer, who at one point represented each of the supervisors. "Everything is above board and transparent. And he welcomes any and all inquiries into the operations of his office."
     Williams' handling of conservatorships came into focus last month when his office protested publicly that then-Deputy District Attorney Todd Spitzer called the office asking questions about a case the office was handling.
     Earlier this year, the county internal auditor, Peter Hughes, examined the manner in which Williams was filling out his timesheets and found no evidence of wrongdoing. In 2009, an Orange County grand jury issued two scathing reports on how Williams' office operates.
     Bates was chairwoman of the Board of Supervisors in December when Williams survived a 3-2 vote by the board to move his office back into the county bureaucracy following the grand jury reports. Bates told Williams publicly that he would be on a short leash following the tight vote.

Tonight's board meeting: live and direct! (No chancellor announcement)

It's 7:24, and at long last the trustees (of the South Orange County Community College District) have emerged from their closed session, which started at 5:00. One wonders what it was that occupied them for so long (they were supposed to emerge at 6:30).

But of course! They were discussing the three (?) Chancellor candidates they interviewed this afternoon. Perhaps some trustees wanted to hire someone and others, um, didn't. (On the other hand, maybe they were discussing some aspect of the dismantlement of ATEP.)

Board Prez Don Wagner has yet to appear. The others have shown their faces. John Williams looks fat and sassy.

Naturally, I forgot my glasses, so I have no idea what I'm typing here. If there are typos, well, so be it. Back in a moment!

7:32: board clerk Marcia Milchiker reads out actions of the closed session: nothing of great import. Wagner explains that there will be no announcement re the interviews that occurred this afternoon. I.e., no action has been taken re hiring the new chancellor.

Fuentes does the invocation: lays it on pretty thick. Asks the Lord to "turn down the heat, please."

Resolutions read/voted upon re teachers of the year.

7:45

I stepped out to get my glasses; when I got back, Carmen D, the Saddleback College Academic Senate Prez, was finishing her public remarks. I suspect it was worth reporting. I’ll try to update you on that later.

UPDATE: Carmen read a resolution asking the district to follow its own hiring policy with regard to the permanent dean of the Business Science Division and Economics and Workplace Development.
I think the point is that they've put this thing on the fast track--thus creating the risk of a less-than-optimal hire. So slow down and do it right!

Evidently, a Mrs. Molina complained about her company getting bumped or something. I didn't pay much attention.

Board reports:

Jay: zilch

Williams: less than zilch

Fuentes: Mrs. Molina, maybe you can talk to the Chancellor. Fuentes seems to blame the president in Washington for her troubles.

Everything but 5.14 passes on consent calendar.

5.14: Only Padberg votes against Williams' request for Orlando trip in January. No discussison.

6.1, 6.2, 6.3--boom, boom, boom.

6.4 too. Unanimous. 6.5, 6.6.

7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 7.5 Yeah sure whatever...

7:55: Wagner: "It's almost embarrassing, we're almost [done]"

Written reports:

Saddleback College Prez Burnett: blah, blah, blah. Talked about accreds visiting soon. Homecoming coming up.

Irvine Valley College Prez Roquemore: we've launched a new website. Check it out.

ATEP'S Peebles: moving forward with bidding on demolition, etc.

No reports from various leaders.

We gotta outa there fast.

John Williams: unaccountable, evidently

     $ELEVEN THOUSAND TO DIG UP EMAILS? “Pen Pal” reports that he has heard from the County regarding his most recent pubic records requests re notorious spendthrift and wily doofus John Williams, OC Public Administrator/Guardian.
     Pen Pal asked for any emails between Williams (qua PAPG) and SOCCCD staff. PP suspects that Williams has been using County time and resources to conduct his gig as SOCCCD trustee and jetsetter.
     Essentially, the county wrote back to say that Williams has no (has kept no?) such emails—this is implausible—and that the effort to dig up these emails would cost from 3 to 11 thousands dollars:

     The county says it refuses to pay for this effort.

     SEVENTEEN AND A HALF SMACKERS--FOR WHAT?. Pen Pal also asked if Williams (qua PAPG) was paid lump sums of annual leave or vacation time. Keep in mind that, as we showed previously, Williams filled out time sheets that indicated that he was at work in Santa Ana when, in truth, he was luxuriating in hotels around the country (many weeks per year) as a trustee—all paid for by the taxpayer. The County responded in the affirmative:

     Supposing that, as his timesheet records suggest, Williams was absent when he indicated that he was at work, his claims to unused “leave” time might be supposed to deserve some such designation as “fraud.”
     What do you think?

     SEE ALSO: How county employees got six-figure payouts (OC Reg)