City Government

Councilmember Lynette McElhaney Will Face Administrative Hearing in Ethics Violation Case

Published

7 years ago

August 4, 2017

The Oakland Public Ethics Commission decided to hire an independent hearing officer to determine whether Councilmember Lynette McElhaney used her elected position to “interfere” with the construction of a building next to home. The commission voted unanimously to support the staff recommendation to hold the hearing, based on their investigation that found there was “probable cause” that the councilmember committed ethics violations.

Commissioners also voted to urge staff and the councilmember to continue to hold discussions to try to reach a settlement of the case.

Once the hearing is completed, possibly within two months, the hearing officer will report back to the commission, which could impose penalties, including a fine of up to $15,000.

In an interview with the Post, McElhaney said she thought it was positive that commissioners emphasized they wanted to pursue a settlement.

“This has been a witch hunt,” she said, emphasizing that she was not just fighting for herself but also for her neighbors, as she was elected to do, to oppose the construction of the large “ugly” building that is “like a motel.”

The major issue, said McElhaney, is that the city’s Planning Department approved a project that should never have been approved and often ignores the voices of people who live in flatland neighborhoods.

“We end up being bound by bad decisions,” she said. “There is so little accountability for these administrative decisions.”

According to ethics commission staff, McElhaney may have committed three ethics violations.

First, she received a gift from an architect worth $800 when McElhaney solicited the architect to speak for free at the Planning Commission in December 2014 in opposition to the development project. The architect at the time was doing business with the City Council.
The limit for a gift is $50 in calendar year.

Second, she voted the next month, in January 2015, to increase funding for the architect, allegedly violating the provision that prohibits a council member from participating in a council decision that benefits someone who has given a gift to the council member.

Finally, she failed to report the gift as required.

McElhaney said she had consulted with the City Attorney in an attempt to avoid conflicts of interest and that she did not realize at the time that what the architect did could be considered a gift.

The commission is also looking into whether to investigate and issue a report on the findings of the Alameda County Grand Jury, which alleges conflicts of interest that are outside the scope of the upcoming administrative hearing.

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Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024

Published

6 days ago

April 26, 2024

Oakland Post

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Alameda County

DA Pamela Price Stands by Mom Who Lost Son to Gun Violence in Oakland

Last week, The Post published a photo showing Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price with Carol Jones, whose son, Patrick DeMarco Scott, was gunned down by an unknown assailant in 2018.

Published

1 week ago

April 22, 2024

Oakland Post

District Attorney Pamela Price with Carol Jones

Publisher’s note: Last week, The Post published a photo showing Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price with Carol Jones, whose son, Patrick DeMarco Scott, was gunned down by an unknown assailant in 2018. The photo was too small for readers to see where the women were and what they were doing. Here we show Price and Jones as they complete a walk in memory of Scott. For more information and to contribute, please contact Carol Jones at 510-978-5517 at morefoundation.help@gmail.com. Courtesy photo.

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City Government

Vallejo Welcomes Interim City Manager Beverli Marshall

At Tuesday night’s Council meeting, the Vallejo City Council appointed Beverli Marshall as the interim city manager. Her tenure in the City Manager’s Office began today, Wednesday, April 10. Mayor Robert McConnell praised Marshall’s extensive background, noting her “wide breadth of experience in many areas that will assist the City and its citizens in understanding the complexity of the many issues that must be solved” in Vallejo.

Published

1 week ago

April 22, 2024

Oakland Post

Beverli Marshall began her first day with the City on April 10. ICMA image.

Special to The Post

At Tuesday night’s Council meeting, the Vallejo City Council appointed Beverli Marshall as the interim city manager. Her tenure in the City Manager’s Office began today, Wednesday, April 10.

Mayor Robert McConnell praised Marshall’s extensive background, noting her “wide breadth of experience in many areas that will assist the City and its citizens in understanding the complexity of the many issues that must be solved” in Vallejo.

Current City Manager Michael Malone, whose official departure is slated for April 18, expressed his well wishes. “I wish the City of Vallejo and Interim City Manager Marshall all the best in moving forward on the progress we’ve made to improve service to residents.” Malone expressed his hope that the staff and Council will work closely with ICM Marshall to “ensure success and prosperity for the City.”

According to the Vallejo Sun, Malone stepped into the role of interim city manager in 2021 and became permanent in 2022. Previously, Malone served as the city’s water director and decided to retire from city service e at the end of his contract which is April 18.

“I hope the excellent work of City staff will continue for years to come in Vallejo,” he said. “However, recent developments have led me to this decision to announce my retirement.”

When Malone was appointed, Vallejo was awash in scandals involving the housing division and the police department. A third of the city’s jobs went unfilled during most of his tenure, making for a rocky road for getting things done, the Vallejo Sun reported.

At last night’s council meeting, McConnell explained the selection process, highlighting the council’s confidence in achieving positive outcomes through a collaborative effort, and said this afternoon, “The Council is confident that by working closely together, positive results will be obtained.”

While the search for a permanent city manager is ongoing, an announcement is expected in the coming months.

On behalf of the City Council, Mayor McConnell extended gratitude to the staff, citizen groups, and recruitment firm.

“The Council wishes to thank the staff, the citizens’ group, and the recruitment firm for their diligent work and careful consideration for the selection of what is possibly the most important decision a Council can make on behalf of the betterment of our City,” McConnell said.

The Vallejo Sun contributed to this report.