Incompetent Public Administrator/Guardian John Williams has friends

I smell a rat.

This afternoon, the OC Reg’s Jennifer Muir ("Watchdog") posted the following update on (SOCCCD trustee) John Williams regarding charges that, as OC Public Administrator/Guardian, he is — not to put too fine a point on it — an incompetent a**hole:

Despite protest, supervisors allow public administrator to keep duties (See also reader comments.)

Against the urging of the county’s chief executive, county supervisors narrowly voted to keep embattled Public Administrator John Williams‘ office intact.

The vote comes on the heels of two scathing Grand Jury reports alleging Williams doubled his management budget and broke personnel rules. The grand jury recommended changing Williams’ job from an elected job to a board-appointed position.

County CEO Tom Mauk’s proposal didn’t go that far. He asked supervisors this afternoon to split the Public Administrator and Public Guardian positions — both headed by Williams — and give Mauk oversight authority of the Public Guardian office, which would be changed to an appointed job.

Board Chairwoman Pat Bates and supervisors Janet Nguyen and Chris Norby voted against the change. Bates said Williams already has fixed some of the problems identified in the grand jury report and suggested that the board revisit the issue during budget hearings, when questions about his pay and other details about a potential split could be resolved.

“I would call on Mr. Williams to make a concerted effort to make a collaborative approach on management issues,” board chairwoman Pat Bates said. “Until I’m certain about what they are doing, I think this is premature.”

Williams has denied many of the allegations in the report, saying the grand jury didn’t understand much of the complicated information he provided. He didn’t speak at this morning’s meeting or at a meeting last week when supervisors postponed deciding.

Last week Williams’ personal attorney Phil Greer spoke in his place, saying Mauk’s proposal would be expensive and inefficient. (Greer has represented all but one of the county supervisors, John Moorlach, who along with Supervisor Bill Campbell, voted to split up the office.)
…
Union leader Nick Berardino, general manager for the Orange County Employee’s Association, said the situation at the department is “critical” and urged supervisors to act immediately.

He reiterated concerns raised in May memo by county Human Resources Director Carl Crown that Williams promoted two managers in violation of county policy and noted he’s being asked to lay off five union employees in Williams’ office.

Given what has come to light since May, no one with even half a brain would support Williams and his special county job/sinecure. May as well toss chunks of money into the toilet.

–Unless, of course, ugly politics are involved. John Williams is a sleazy dolt. But he's a member of the gang.

He stays.

Not only has attorney Phil Greer represented Williams and each of the Supes (except for Moorlach), he also advises Chriss Street—you know, the county's corrupt Treasurer and the guy that Tom Fuentes keeps dragging to SOCCCD board meetings to give reports on tax revenues.

And he represents Chris Norby, whose brother (Eric, I think) got tapped by Fuentes a few years ago to replace resigning SOCCCD trustee Dorothy Fortune (she resigned amid accusations that she no longer resided in the county).

That deal didn't work out so well. But that's OK. These people are relentless. They take care of their friends, one way or another.

I wonder what Raghu Mathur will get when he's finally shown the SOCCCD exit? (Could be soon.) Just you watch.

Fuentes will not allow such, ahem, talent to go to waste.

Two years ago: Fuentes' pal OC Treasurer Chriss Street defends himself against charges of impropriety with the assistance of his attorney – you guessed it! Phil Greer.

Greer now represents John Williams.

Street trouble

COMMENTS:

Criminality relativism
Anonymous‬ said...
They're all criminals! Unless it's your friends in those positions, then they're ok.
8:21 PM, December 15, 2009

Banana slugs
‪Anonymous‬ said...
What a bunch!
9:27 PM

Metaphors gone wild
‪Anonymous‬ said...
We don't have the brightest bunch of boys on the block, but John Williams does take the cake. What a healthy and remarkable "Old Boys'" network in Orange County.
5:48 AM, December 16, 2009

Yeah, but then who's Evelyn Mulwray?
‪Anonymous‬ said...
It's Orange County, Jake.
7:06 AM

Cake takage specificity
‪Anonymous‬ said...
Just what KIND of cake does John Williams take?
9:13 AM

Sheethead
‪Anonymous‬ said...
He's a sheet cake!
10:29 AM

Where's Hal Holbrook when you need 'im?
‪Anonymous‬ said...
Any more from the employee at the office who commented on JW's lack of work ethic?
10:54 AM

Buffy the Vampire Payer
‪Anonymous‬ said...
I smell a rat myself!!!!!! Just a little background information. The assistant PA/PG Peggy Buff was a major player/fundraiser in Patricia Bates' election......... hmmm 

Also the attorney that Mr. Williams chose to represent him also represented Janet Nguyen during her election challenge..... do you think she owes him a favor?
12:40 PM

More mixed mets
‪Anonymous‬ said...
Mr. Greer and his wife hosted a fundraising event for Patricia Bates during her election as well... My how muddy the waters are. I guess we can all see why the taxpayers will bear another burden of political inbreeding.
12:41 PM

über-scandal
‪Anonymous‬ said...
All these pople do is write big checks to each other and cover up for each other - it's beyond scandal.
12:55 PM

Cadshot
‪Anonymous‬ said...
LOVE that headshot of Williams - what a cad!
1:00 PM

Greer v Jay
Anonymous‬ said...
Greer's wife also ran against Bill Jay in the last election.
1:28 PM

No banana cream?
Anonymous‬ said...
I think he's yellow cake with white frosting and shaved coconut.
1:45 PM

One pure smile

The SOCCCD rumor mill is grinding day and night. Have you heard some of this stuff?

"Watch for things to pop," some say.

–Like what?

Today, a friend talked to a friend who talked to an acquaintance who recently ran into Chancellor Mathur, who (so the story goes) complained that things are getting pretty nasty on the third floor (district headquarters), and so he (Mathur) is contemplating resigning.

(We keep hearing that Mathur royally pissed off the Wag Man with his sneaky tête-à-tête with Babs Beno over the propriety of trustees serving on accred committees.)

Meanwhile, another friend (and faculty leader) has heard (where? I dunno) that there will be a double secret probationary board meeting on Friday. I checked the district website, and there’s nothing posted there, but there wouldn’t be, would there? This crowd only does what is legally demanded, openness-wise. Sometimes, they don't even do that.

(Another friend keeps describing to me his fantasy of a long and twisty conga-line on the 3rd floor of the district offices, led by XXXX, as Mathur is seen being escorted to his Mercedes by Harry Parmer and a German Shepherd.)

A week ago, the board spilled into the Ronald Reagan room, a veritable slime ball of mutual, snarkological peeviosity and sticky, backroom wheeler-dealery. (Gosh, it must be hard keeping all those grudges straight. One pure smile could really mess things up!) Imagine! –Fuentes, Williams, and Lang voting against Don Wagner for President! And Williams nominating Padberg! And Don nominating the likes of Padberg and Milchiker for his “team"!

And Nancy and Tom arguing over whether Washington, D.C. is on a coast! 

And what does this mean for Wagner’s 70th Assembly campaign? At least until recently, Don seemed to enjoy the full backing and political wizardry of Tom Fuentes, and, in this benighted county, that still means something. Might this “new SOCCCD order,” if that’s what we've got here, threaten Wagnerian electoral Fuentification and brass-ring grabbery?

Gosh, I just don’t know.

Where’s this all going? And if the board is so torn up over Mathur (and who-knows-what-else), can they really be on the same page about this “religion” fubar? And what’s happened with the ongoing Tustin snafu? And is the district heading for another close call (or worse) with the dang 50% Law?

And when am I finally gonna get my gosh-darn 23-year pin!

Inquiring minds wanna know!

No conga, but good

Comments:

‪Anonymous‬ said...
I'll make chile rellenos!
8:04 PM, December 14, 2009

‪Anonymous‬ said...
Yes! I can absolutely picture that conga line! With XXXX in front!
8:41 PM

‪Anonymous‬ said...
Didn't Williams once FIRE Padberg?
8:57 PM

‪Anonymous‬ said...
Washington DC is on a river. The Potomac.
8:59 PM

‪B. von Traven said...
Yes, Williams fired Padberg a few years ago, and she was plenty steamed about it. ¶ 
Padberg rejected the Orlando trip because of the expense of travel to the "other coast." Presumably, consistency requires that she reject trips to Washington as well, since that city is virtually the same distance--further, actually--and similarly expensive to travel to. ¶ 
As to whether Washington DC is on the east coast: surely it is, despite not literally being along the coast. No one would deny that, say, Irvine is on the west coast or that Philadelphia is on the east coast, despite neither city being "coastal."
10:23 PM

Anonymous‬ said...
Orlando is probably further from the coast than DC is since Orlando is in the middle of Florida...
5:20 AM, December 15, 2009

‪Anonymous‬ said...
There you go again Roy - twisting the facts. DC is NOT a coastal city.
6:29 AM

‪Anonymous‬ said...
Hate to be all Eyeore, but so what if he goes down - look who's standing in line behind him: a decade of mediocre hires and worse.
7:20 AM

Anonymous‬ said...
Which is worse? Ruthless and untrustworthy? Or just incompetent? I guess it depends. In any case, we'll have a day or two of cool conga dancing. We may have to stop and pray here and there.
10:58 AM

Anonymous‬ said...
I myself resent having to choose between Ruthless & Untrustworthy and Incompetent.

The students, the community, all of us, deserve better.
11:08 AM

Anonymous‬ said...
Request for a new Poll: Eeyore has opened the door on this one. If (when?) there is an opening on the third floor, who is your next fearless leader?
12:41 PM

Anonymous‬ said...
Can they all fire each other? Clean sweep? is there a precedent for this?
9:34 PM

Dissent the Blog's Fall '09 video

This video gathers many images used in recent months on this blog, including crazy graphics, lots of pictures of Irvine Valley College, the Board of Trustees, and--my favorite--Orange County's colorful past. Pictured are such places as Irvine, the Santa Ana Mountains, El Toro, Tustin, Orange, Mission Viejo, Anaheim, Santa Ana, Newport Beach, and Laguna Beach (among others).

The music:

Blind's Blake's "Diddie Wa Diddie" (1929)
Monarch Jazz Quartet's "What is the Matter Now?" (1929)
Skip James' "If You Haven't Any Hay, Get on Down the Road" (1930)
King Solomon Hill's "Tell Me Baby" (1932)

Love this stuff.

Chopra euthanizes the watchdog

I just noticed this piece from last Thursday’s The Writer’s Washroom:

Southwestern College Administration Now Attacks Freedom of the Press

Apparently unsatisfied with their attacks on America’s Freedoms of Speech and Assembly, the Southwestern College administration has taken aim at undermining the Freedom of the Press.

Just before last night’s Governing Board meeting, several different people informed me that less than half an hour earlier, the college administration had decided to handicap one of its prestige programs by refusing to fund the requested printing budget* for its nationally-recognized newspaper, the Southwestern College Sun.
…
Why would the administration want to attack and cripple such a prestigious program, you ask? Because the Sun has come down, again and again, in opposition to President Raj K. Chopra. This fall, they covered the student rally that Chopra has attempted to spin as a “riot” and refused to fall into the administration’s line. They refused to turn over photos of the event when the campus police came out and demanded they do so. They have done proper journalistic due diligence and have watchdogged this shameful administration….

*Near as I can tell, the decision only concerns printing, not publishing online.

COMMENTS:

Anonymous said...
Sounds like what they did (with Gensler) to the IVC Voice....
9:36 AM, December 13, 2009

Anonymous said...
First it was freedom of speech, then freedom of assembly, and now it's freedom of the press.

I wonder what's next? Cruel and unusual punishment?

 --100 miles down the road
9:36 AM

Anonymous said...
Presumably, the Sun can still be published online, right? That's what they did with U.S. News and World Report. So they'll be in good company.
1:00 PM

Anonymous said...
Dear 100 miles down the road: I was going to say something about freedom of religion, but then I remembered: wrong district!
10:26 PM

Music for a rainy day

Though Maria McKee (of Lone Justice) appears to be very stoned or drunk here, there are some wonderful high points in this performance and, for once, the boys brought along a keyboardist to play during the break. That seems best.
Great song, great singer. I think she's doing session work these days. I'm glad she's still around.
I always figured that someone with her talent could only fail to hit the bigtime because she's nuts or some kind of wildcat. But I don't really know. Her brother, who was a member of the great 60's LA band Love, wrote this song.

It always seems to be raining when Tracy C sings. Isn't she just the best?

A new board majority? Fuentes gets hopping mad

I DID NOT ATTEND Monday’s board meeting, but, today, I did view most of it—as streaming video, which is available at the SOCCCD website.

Beyond what I’ve already reported (see December board meeting), I found three curious factoids.

Curious factoid #1.

Trustees Fuentes, Lang, and Williams actually voted against Trustee Wagner (for board president)

Item 2.6 was the much-anticipated Annual Organizational Meeting, including the “election of officers.”

The board needed to elect a President. Trustee Nancy Padberg nominated Trustee (and then-current board president) Don Wagner. Trustee Marcia Milchiker seconded that nomination.

Ah, but, then, trustee John Williams nominated trustee Nancy Padberg; the nomination was seconded by Trustee Dave Lang. This seemed to produce some confusion. Eventually, Trustee Padberg was persuaded to reject her nomination (for the time being), so that the vote on Wagner could go forward. If, after that vote, the matter remained undecided, Padberg could be nominated again. (A cynic might suggest that Williams and Lang were more interested in avoiding a Wagnerian presidency than in securing a Padbergian presidency. A fool might suggest that John Williams wanted Nancy to be the board president. A knucklehead might suggest that the Brown Act is revered at the SOCCCD.)

So the trustees voted on WAGNER. Here’s how they voted:

For Wagner:

Wagner, Milchiker, Padberg, Bill Jay

Against Wagner:

Williams, Lang, Tom Fuentes

That’s right. For some time now, Williams, Lang, Fuentes, and Wagner have constituted a Board Majority. On several important issues—especially the crucial issue of whether Raghu P. Mathur should remain as Chancellor—these four have been allies. (One important exception is trustee Williams’ pro-union sympathies; another is Lang's lack of enthusiasm for religious invocations.)

But for this night—or this moment—there was a new Board Majority, with Don joining the heretofore feeble trio of Milchiker, Jay, and Padberg—three people who appear to share a very, very low regard of Raghu Mathur. So does Wagner.

Was this vote really about the Mathur issue? No doubt you’ve heard stories about Wagner's fury in response to Mathur's recent antics.

After the presidential vote, Wagner nominated Padberg for VP. Milchiker seconded. The vote was unanimous. Wagner then nominated Milchiker for Clerk. The vote was unanimous.

At that point, the chancellor paused the proceedings in order to present Wagner with a plaque, recognizing his service as President of the board.

The presentation occurred quickly and, I think, awkwardly.

Curious factoid #2.

Padberg, citing budget concerns, rejected trustee requests for conference travel to the “other coast,” but she denies that Washington, D.C., is located on that coast.

This one is, well, a curiosity. I don’t know what to make of it.

Item 5.13—Trustees’ Requests for Attending Conferences—was pulled from the consent calendar by Nancy Padberg. Padberg has long been the board’s watchdog with regard to trustee expenses, and she plainly regards trustee Williams’ travel expenses, which are outstandingly high, with great skepticism. She has often noted trustee Williams’ fondness of conference travel to Orlando, Florida where, I’m told, he has family.

On Monday night, the board was presented with three trustee conference requests: for a conference in Sacramento, a conference in Washington, D.C., and a conference in Orlando, Florida.

During Monday’s meeting, Nancy did not object to the first two. “As usual,” she said, “I will certainly support the first two [conferences].” But, she said, “I do not see that we need to send somebody across the country to the other coast in these tight budget times, so I would not support the Orlando trip.”

Fuentes then made the obvious point. He noted that there are two other trips, and “one of those is on the other coast. Is there an objection to everything that…”

Tom didn’t get to finish his sentence. Said Nancy: “No, I don’t consider Washington, D.C. on a coast.”

Tom thought about that. Then he said, “I have to take you there. It’s a short swim to Maryland.”

According to Nancy, Washington, D.C., is not on the east coast.

In the end, all trustees voted to support the first two trips. Only Nancy voted against approving the Orlando trip, the trip to the "other coast."

I guess I could not hear what was said or mumbled or signaled next. Perhaps trustee Williams indicated, using puppets, that he was not planning to attend the Orlando conference, for Wagner jokingly noted: “Trustee Williams is not going, but he could if he wanted to, so there.”

Curious factoid #3.

Trustee Fuentes got hopping mad.

Item 6.1 was the adoption of a resolution “regarding District policy on invocations at District and College events.” (See 50:50.) Essentially, the resolution reaffirmed the policy of offering religious invocations, although it also (1) noted the requirement that videos be fully viewed before they are shown and it (2) proscribed officials’ making sectarian religious comments.

No doubt, the resolution is connected to the recently filed lawsuit against the district concerning its practice of prayer and sectarian religious commentary.

In the discussion of this item, several trustees seemed open to the possibility of modifying the resolution at a later date, after consulting with counsel, who were not present. Wagner made clear that it would be unwise to modify the resolution without counsel's OK.

Dave Lang suggested several changes. Eventually, the board voted on the original resolution.

Plainly, some trustees, including Board President Wagner, participated in the vote on the—perhaps mistaken—understanding that, afterward, modifications could still be suggested and run past counsel.

The resolution was approved unanimously.

At that point, Wagner turned to Lang, who formally advanced his earlier suggested changes. Milchiker supported him.

But trustee Fuentes would not have it. (See 50:15 of the video.) As per parliamentary procedure, he said, it would be inappropriate to amend a resolution that had just passed.

Wagner was obviously surprised, but he evidently found Fuentes’ point to be compelling, and so, when Lang and others proceeded to counter Fuentes, Wagner said, “You got snookered, Dave.”

Trustee Fuentes took great umbrage at that. (See 1:00:15.) “There was no snookering to be done,” he said, angrily.

I have observed Tom Fuentes since 2000, and I have never seen him display such anger before. I wonder if his anger was really about something else—something beyond trustees' (or Don's?) failure to understand parliamentary procedure.

Fuentes noted that the resolution passed unanimously, “and that is the action of this body.”

Said Wagner, “trustee Fuentes, you are correct, and we have voted.”

• AD 70 Watch: Irvine Councilman Steven Choi Is In (OC/Red County)

Holiday celebration at Irvine Valley College

This woman seemed to have some serious Christmas spirit.
She set an example for all of us!

They set it up inside the Performing Arts Center. I wonder who cleans the windows?

Here's Santa checkin' out one of his helpers.
On my way over to the PAC, a student told me, "You just missed it; the cops just arrested Santa."
"Yeah?" I said. Then I saw a police car zooming around to the back of the PAC. I guess Santa was getting a special sleigh ride.

The gathering as seen from atop the stairwell. It was still early: eventually every seat was taken.
No, really. It appeared to be a big hit. I even spotted Raghu.

That dang Santa has all the luck.

I think they were telling me to stop taking pictures, for Chrissake. "Siddown and have some chow, Camera Boy!"
Diane was saying something snarky fer sher. (You can see that.) But I just pointed to my ears and walked off before they started throwing food.

Top administrators were slingin' the turkey, or whatever it was.

Nice gesture, but they were in a lonely, empty room off to the side.
You can see Glenn trying to make contact with a distant human being.

Gwen said hello to the cute kid while Santa and Glenn (I think) did that Pink Floyd burning man trick.

It was very dramatic and popular, a new tradition, I'm sure.

There's Santa again, trollin' for babes. Some people were giving me the stink-eye.
I coulda used some sleep.

Sorry, Glenn, about the grimy hand. I've gotta start packin' handkerchiefs.
Dan seemed pleased about the whole business.

Glenn, Santa, Dave. A power trio, shooting out positive vibes.

Spotted this reindeer. As you know, both sexes sport large branching antlers. Don't wanna piss off a reindeer, nope. I'm Canadian, you know. Helped my dad shoot a moose once. Now I'm a vegetarian.

Dave and his reindeer.

Santa and mini-Santa

The last Pink Floyd album I bought. My bro Ray and I would put this song on the stereo and listen without comment, in silence. (Ray knew when to say nothing.) It seemed to be the background of our lives for a little while. Afterward, the band never seemed interesting to me anymore. Too successful for their own good, I think. But the memory remains. —RB