Amador County – Mayor Gary Wooten defended his style of leading the Sutter Creek City Council on Tuesday, and exchanged words with a member of the public over general criticism by the Amador County Grand Jury. A man pointed out one report finding that said: “Grand Jurors attending City Council meetings observed some members of the City Council managing by intimidation and being unresponsive to citizens’ concerns.” The man said Wooten’s manner was indicative of that. Wooten said he always lets people have their say in meetings, listens to them and makes his decisions. The man asked Councilwoman Sandy Anderson about a bridge dedicated to her late daughter, using funds raised by Gold Rush Ranch, as reported by the Grand Jury. Wooten said: “That’s a real low-life comment.” The man responded by calling Wooten “low-life white trash,” then left the meeting. Anderson said she did not benefit financially from the plaque that honored her daughter. She said it was done “for my grandchildren and my son-in-law,” and it was funded by a long-time family friend, Helen Bierce, whose husband works for Gold Rush, but Helen does not. Lorraine Davis, who also works for Gold Rush, helped with the plaque. Planning Commissioner Mike Kirkley asked the council why it had not publically discussed allegations in the Grand Jury report. Mayor Pro Tempore Tim Murphy said they had brought up issues at 3 public meetings, but “what we haven’t done is humiliate anyone publicly.” Murphy said the council’s critics are “not going to get anybody crucified.” Kirkley asked about findings on former City Manager Rob Duke. Wooten said Duke “was put under a lot of pressure (and not by the city council) and he left.” Councilman Pat Crosby said Duke went to a bigger city. Crosby handed out his own written responses to the Grand Jury report. Crosby said many of the findings “concerning the city manager could have been minimized by greater oversight by the city attorney” of Duke’s actions “or at least been forcibly brought to the attention of the city council before implementation.”
Duke is police chief in Huron. Crosby said the city lacked a bridge naming procedure, which has since been created, after Wooten assigned a committee to formulate that procedure. Crosby agreed with many recommendations, and made some of his own. One was to either give up on having a city police department or “raise property taxes by $800,000 per year to maintain a service that the sheriff could supply for far less.” He also suggested the city fire its employees and contract for municipal duties. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Friday, 09 July 2010 06:24
Sutter Creek COuncil COmments on Grand Jury Findings
Amador County – Mayor Gary Wooten defended his style of leading the Sutter Creek City Council on Tuesday, and exchanged words with a member of the public over general criticism by the Amador County Grand Jury. A man pointed out one report finding that said: “Grand Jurors attending City Council meetings observed some members of the City Council managing by intimidation and being unresponsive to citizens’ concerns.” The man said Wooten’s manner was indicative of that. Wooten said he always lets people have their say in meetings, listens to them and makes his decisions. The man asked Councilwoman Sandy Anderson about a bridge dedicated to her late daughter, using funds raised by Gold Rush Ranch, as reported by the Grand Jury. Wooten said: “That’s a real low-life comment.” The man responded by calling Wooten “low-life white trash,” then left the meeting. Anderson said she did not benefit financially from the plaque that honored her daughter. She said it was done “for my grandchildren and my son-in-law,” and it was funded by a long-time family friend, Helen Bierce, whose husband works for Gold Rush, but Helen does not. Lorraine Davis, who also works for Gold Rush, helped with the plaque. Planning Commissioner Mike Kirkley asked the council why it had not publically discussed allegations in the Grand Jury report. Mayor Pro Tempore Tim Murphy said they had brought up issues at 3 public meetings, but “what we haven’t done is humiliate anyone publicly.” Murphy said the council’s critics are “not going to get anybody crucified.” Kirkley asked about findings on former City Manager Rob Duke. Wooten said Duke “was put under a lot of pressure (and not by the city council) and he left.” Councilman Pat Crosby said Duke went to a bigger city. Crosby handed out his own written responses to the Grand Jury report. Crosby said many of the findings “concerning the city manager could have been minimized by greater oversight by the city attorney” of Duke’s actions “or at least been forcibly brought to the attention of the city council before implementation.”
Duke is police chief in Huron. Crosby said the city lacked a bridge naming procedure, which has since been created, after Wooten assigned a committee to formulate that procedure. Crosby agreed with many recommendations, and made some of his own. One was to either give up on having a city police department or “raise property taxes by $800,000 per year to maintain a service that the sheriff could supply for far less.” He also suggested the city fire its employees and contract for municipal duties. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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