A report doesn't back claims against two former Board of Adjustment members, but "That's not the city's problem," one commissioner says.
By JADE JACKSON LLOYD
Published June 16, 2004
MADEIRA BEACH - At a Monday workshop, city commissioners decided that a series of unfounded allegations they made against two residents deserves little response.
No letter of apology. No definitive investigation. No cigar.
During their campaigns, Len Piotti and John Wolbert had raised the specter of wrongdoing and called it by name: Joe Jorgensen and Dennis Reynolds.
In the three months since their election to the City Commission, Piotti brought forth what he said was evidence from an unnamed city resident suggesting the two Board of Adjustment members had conflicts of interest.
Shortly thereafter, commissioners voted to dissolve the Board of Adjustment and appoint a special master to hear residents' variance requests.
After a city-appointed lawyer concluded that Jorgensen and Reynolds committed no crime, commissioners decided Monday they will go only so far to clear Jorgensen and Reynolds' names.
Commissioners also decided to issue a letter of reprimand to Planning Commission member Tim Adams, instead of terminating him for arguing with city employees.
Commissioners Charlie Parker, Piotti and Wolbert outvoted Mayor Tom DeCesare and Commissioner Roger Koske to accept the report of Robert Walker - whom the commission hired as an adviser, not to generate a position statement - as the extent of their investigation into the board.
A letter to Jorgensen and Reynolds will state that no further action will be pursued against them. There will be no apology.
"I didn't say it cleared them," Parker said, referring to the lawyer's report that the commission received minutes before its June 8 meeting. "There's insufficient evidence to pursue it any further. That's a big difference."
The report concludes that "in none of the three projects reviewed was it clear that any special or unique personal gain resulted," though the "appearance of a conflict arose."
A March 7 Times story reported that Reynolds pulled a county permit and listed himself as contractor for someone whose variance he voted to approve last year. The same story reported that Jorgensen employs Reynolds at Totally Radical Structures, a contracting business he owns with former commissioner Doreen Moore.
Jorgensen was appointed to the Board of Adjustment by Moore, with whom he has a romantic relationship.
Piotti, Parker and Wolbert fought against issuing an apology, as DeCesare and Koske suggested.
Parker said that if Jorgensen and Reynolds take issue with the city, they should sue. An investigation costing "thousands and thousands" should not be conducted at the city's expense, he said.
Wolbert alternated between claiming ignorance, blaming Jorgensen and Reynolds for their own misfortune, and saying he and Piotti represented the views of dozens of residents.
Either way, Wolbert said it was not "city business" and an outside group should conduct an investigation, if necessary.
"That stuff is out there," he said. "There's a lot of people in our community who do believe this way."
DeCesare and Koske both expressed anger at their colleagues' responses.
"You're talking with a person's life," DeCesare said. "It's their name. They've got family, friends. They want a full investigation. We're saying, "I'm sorry. We're just going to let it hang there."'
"That's not the city's problem," Parker said. Picking up the attorney's report, he said, "As far as I'm concerned, that's the end of it."
Koske said the allegations against the pair were "probably brought to light by somebody who had an ax to grind" and they deserved an apology.
"Is there someone behind all you people?" he asked, looking at Piotti and Wolbert. "Pushing, pushing, pushing? "I'm going to get rid of him. I'm going to get rid of him?' That's what's going on."
"That's the reason the city manager is gone," he said later. "That's the reason the Board of Adjustment is gone. That's the reason it's been brought up the city attorney is not doing his job. C'mon, let's throw it on the table."
Commissioners also discussed City Attorney Tom Trask. Feelings about him ranged from Koske saying Trask is the best attorney the city's ever had to Wolbert saying, "I have no faith in the man."
Piotti referred to him as a "reactive type, not a proactive type."
"I somewhat agree with John (Wolbert)," he said. "I think it's time to pursue some folks who maybe could do a decent job."
DeCesare called efforts to remove Trask "skulduggery."
"If he goes, I go," DeCesare said.
After someone told him to calm down, Parker encouraged DeCesare to keep going.
"He's getting ready to resign," Parker said. "Let him do it."
Eddie Lee, a member of the Planning Commission, said the city had suffered with the campaign's "political hangover" for long enough.
Joe Mecko, a city resident since 1947, came to the workshop after watching the proceedings from home. He said he was concerned with roads and taxes and seeing "some seawall fixed correctly," not political opera.
"That's not getting done," he said.
He said interim City Manager Mike Maxemow would have been a good one to fix the current problems, but "I heard he didn't take the job because someone was calling his wife and stuff like that."
"That's scary," Mecko said, emotion clogging his voice. "That is scary, guys. You guys are here to help us, the city. You've got a hard row to hoe, but you need to get on the right path."
