Easelgate Update

Easelgate Update
Editorial staff

Activist Lisa De Paul-Snyder fired another round at top city officials who are trying to cover their easel tracks. City records from her two prior document requests reveal that Easelgate began long before the city’s March opening of photos displayed on 500 custom-built easels. On Aug. 8, De Paul-Snyder sent new requests to the city to obtain public records. The following four points comprise her email to the city, which she shared with this blog:

  1. A) Any and all records (receipts, invoices, checks issued, bids, work orders) and written communication, including but not limited to: letters, memos, e-mails, pertaining to preparations for and cleanup following the Veterans Day event held at the Civic Center in November 2007. B) Any and all records (receipts, invoices, checks issued, bids, work orders) and written communication, including but not limited to: letters, memos, e-mails, pertaining to the “banner boxes” mentioned in J.C.I. [Jamey Clark’s] invoice number 635011, dated, 11/12/2007, including the disposition of the ”banner boxes” and current status (number, condition, location).
  2. A) Any and all records (receipts, invoices, checks issued, bids, work orders) and written communication, including but not limited to: letters, memos, e-mails, pertaining to the contractor C & D Electric from July 10, 2002, to August 8, 2008, inclusive. B) Any and all records (receipts, invoices, checks issued, bids, work orders) and written communication, including but not limited to: letters, memos, e-mails, pertaining to Miracle Playground Sales of Corona, CA, from July 10, 2005, to August 8, 2008, inclusive.
  3. A) Any and all records (receipts, invoices, checks issued, bids, work orders) as well as written communication, including but not limited to: letters, memos, e-mails, pertaining to the “Torch Walk” mentioned in W. Keith Rattay’s, 6/18/08 memo and “breakdown of the statistical information requested”, a.k.a., Public Records Request 08-156 MYMV Gallery, to Dennis Wilberg, hereinafter referred to as KR’s Overview. B) List of the 150 volunteers and names and contact numbers for local, churches, scouts and school groups mentioned in KR’S Overview as well as all communication, including but not limited to: letters, memos, e-mails, release forms signed, evidence of insurance coverage or bonds posted, pertaining to said persons or groups. C) Any and all records (receipts, invoices, checks issued, bids, work orders) and written communication, including but not limited to: letters, memos, e-mails, pertaining to the “larger easels” mentioned in KR’S Overview. D) Any and all records of communication including but not limited to, letters, memos, e-mails, with Jamey Clark, and or Jamey Clark, Inc. from July 10, 2007, to August 8, 2008, inclusive.
  4. Documents and/or forms and standards applied in evaluating city staff personnel for preparation of each employee’s performance review, including any revisions, changes, expansion or augmentation of scope of employee performance subject to review.

Top city officials have complicated their lives every time they’ve tried to explain why hundreds of easels were trashed on a hillside in April. A public employee should know better than to lie to the media, but that’s what city administrator Keith Rattay did every time he responded to a question. He made further false statements when providing an “overview” in his June 18 memo to City Manager Dennis Wilberg. On July 1, Rattay called Saddleback Valley News reporter Lindsey Baguio and tried to jump ahead of an obviously bad news day when the city released 59 pages of documents to De Paul-Snyder. His attempt to spin the story backfired. City hall’s dead silence following the release of 2,000 additional pages on July 23 might be the first sign that officials realize the depth of their problems.