Orange County Sees More Elected Officials Get Censured

More elected officials successful Orange County person been formally reprimanded astatine a nationalist meeting, done what’s known arsenic a censure. 

This clip it’s 2 schoolhouse committee trustees.

It comes aft a spate of elected officials person been censured for assorted reasons passim Orange County — mostly metropolis assembly members for things similar allegedly sharing delicate accusation oregon berating residents. 

In the Anaheim Elementary School District, committee members voted to censure committee subordinate Mark Lopez connected Jan. 15 aft helium was elected to the North Orange County Community College District successful November portion inactive holding his existent seat.

Then connected Jan. 21, the South Orange County Community College District censured committee subordinate Terri Rydell for allegedly sharing confidential, closed league information.

South OC Community College: Censured for Sharing Confidential Information

The South OC Community College District committee voted unanimously to censure Rydell aft she was asked to permission the country owed to a “personal conflict,” barring her from discussing oregon voting connected the censure.

According to the unit report, Rydell allegedly violated the Brown Act – the state’s transparency instrumentality – by sharing confidential, closed league accusation and reports with an unnamed erstwhile head during an probe into that administrator’s conduct.

The unit study besides claims Rydell has shown a signifier of disclosing closed league accusation to unauthorized individuals. 

The committee voted 6-0 to censure Rydell, exclude her from aboriginal closed sessions and region her from each committee assignments.

Matthew Wang, ineligible practice for the district, said Rydell wasn’t permitted to sermon oregon deliberate during the censure point owed to a idiosyncratic conflict, and she was asked to permission the country earlier discussion.

But astatine the opening of the meeting, Rydell made a fewer comments successful her defence earlier she was chopped disconnected by the committee president.

“I consciousness that it’s precise inconsiderate of this assemblage to travel distant successful this manner,” Rydell said astatine the meeting. “I bash privation to archer you that, and truly I’d similar to talk to the committee members, that these allegations against maine are mendacious and immoderate grounds presented is flawed.” 

“I judge that these projected penalties are precise severe,” she said. “To suggest that I person a signifier of disclosing confidential, closed league accusation — a signifier — is baseless and slander.” 

The unit study lays retired immoderate of the main findings of an probe into Rydell’s alleged misconduct, which was conducted by Alyssa Jarvis of Nicole Miller & Associates. 

Investigators allege she provided a erstwhile head with a transcript of confidential reports, and the unit study describes an “unauthorized viewing” from Rydell’s instrumentality that was “a catalyst for the copying and dissemination” of confidential reports.

The alleged incidents happened during 2022, according to the unit report.

Investigators besides deemed Rydell demonstrated “a deficiency of nonrecreational ethics” and that she was “dishonest” during the investigation.

Rydell did not respond to requests from Voice of OC for further comment.

Board subordinate Ryan Dack — who served connected the advertisement hoc committee that reviewed the investigative study — said helium was precise assured successful the grounds presented.

“There are assorted instances wherever you benignant of link the dots and IP code that is linked to Trustee Rydell’s location computer,” Dack said. “[It] was accessed portion she was here, and soon aft that, monolithic amounts of emails were sent from said administrator.”

Board subordinate T.J. Prendergast, who besides served connected the committee, agreed.

“I deliberation the connection preponderance is excessively light,” Prendergast said. “It was overwhelming, the magnitude of evidence.”

Anaheim Elementary: Censured for Holding Two Positions At Once

In Anaheim, an simple schoolhouse committee subordinate was censured earlier this period for holding aggregate offices arsenic a schoolhouse committee subordinate successful Orange County.

Mark Lopez — an Anaheim Elementary School committee subordinate since 2018 — was elected past November arsenic a committee subordinate for the North Orange County Community College District.

At the past Anaheim Elementary committee meeting, committee members approved connected a 3-2 ballot that Lopez holding elected positions for abstracted schoolhouse districts was unethical.

Board members Ryan Ruelas and Lopez opposed the censure motion.

“I thought it due and transparent for america to bash this because, successful my opinion, determination is misconduct,” Anaheim Elementary schoolhouse committee president Juan Alvarez said during the Jan. 15 meeting.

Similarly, different committee members similar Julie Diep said it’s expected for nationalist officials to measurement down from their existent presumption if elected to different region agency, oregon successful this case, a schoolhouse district.

“Any of america who are going to a higher office, that erstwhile you get to that higher office, oftentimes that little spot is forfeited,” she said.

But Lopez pushed backmost against his schoolhouse committee members connected the conception that helium should resign.

“I deliberation it’s putting the cart earlier the equine a small bit,” Lopez said astatine the Jan. 15 meeting, adding that since determination has yet to beryllium a ineligible filing calling for his removal, helium shouldn’t person to springiness up his spot due to the fact that helium holds different office.

Board subordinate Jackie Filbeck said that Lopez holding a spot astatine a assemblage assemblage committee portion maintaining duties for the simple schoolhouse territory “through ineligible counsel has determined that the offices are incompatible.”

“For me, it comes down to — what bash I request to bash that’s successful the champion involvement of this district?” Filbeck said.

“Going forward, that is not to run oregon to govern nether a cloud, which I consciousness determination could be.”

OC Officials Censured successful Recent Years

Many OC officials person been censured implicit the past 5 years — mostly metropolis assembly members embroiled successful contention for allegedly sharing concealed accusation from closed-door meetings.

Last year, Westminster City Councilmember Amy Phan West was censured for a laundry database of allegations including lying, disclosing confidential accusation and disparaging residents and staff.

Last week, West was charged by OC District Attorney Todd Spitzer for allegedly trying to bribe a parking enforcement serviceman – allegations she denied successful a little interrogation with Voice of OC. 

[Read: Westminster City Councilwoman Charged With Attempting to Bribe Parking Officer]

In 2022, erstwhile Cypress City Councilmember Frances Marquez was censured for the 2nd clip successful the aforesaid year for allegedly violating sections of the city’s behaviour code. She was previously censured for allegedly violating the state’s nationalist records enactment and disclosing closed league information.

In 2021, Laguna Beach officials separately censured 2 erstwhile metropolis assembly members successful the aforesaid twelvemonth — George Weiss and Peter Blake. Weiss was censured for allegedly sharing confidential accusation and Blake was condemned for disparaging comments helium made astir metropolis employees, assembly colleagues and residents. 

In 2020, San Clemente officials censured erstwhile Councilmember Laura Ferguson for publically criticizing metropolis authorities and allegedly releasing confidential records to the public.

Angelina Hicks is simply a Voice of OC Tracy Wood Reporting Fellow. Contact her astatine ahicks@voiceofoc.org oregon connected Twitter @angelinahicks13.

Hugo Rios is simply a Voice of OC reporting fellow. Contact him astatine hugo.toni.rios@gmail.com oregon connected Twitter @hugoriosss.

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