Times: College-age daughter of Hercules city manager ‘the guiding force’ for affordable housing contractor
— by Jeffrey Wisniewski — 19 October 2009 — 1 comment below »
Tom Lochner breaks down the family tree that operates as the affordable housing contractor… “She’s still in college, and until recently waited on tables at a Hercules waterfront restaurant, but at 20-something, Taylor Oliva already has three years’ tenure as president and CEO of a company with a multimillion-dollar portfolio. [...] Until her younger sisters, Gabrielle and Adrianna, became secretary and chief financial officer earlier this year, Taylor Oliva occupied those two posts as well, according to a 2007 Statement of Information filed with the California secretary of state, and also was the sole director of the company; these days there are two directors: Eguzki Olano, who also is Nelson Oliva’s administrative assistant at City Hall; and Walter McKinney, the company’s general manager.“
Oliva claims to have divested himself of any financial interest in NEO and that he has nothing to do with the operation or oversight of NEO. The city attorney is on record saying that there is no violation of any legal requirements under state law because Oliva does not have a financial interest and is not involved in NEO. The city councilmembers have been completely silent regarding this issue, but let’s not forget, the buck stops there and ultimately the council will need to explain this mess.
If Oliva is not involved with NEO as he and the city attorney claim, who then in the city is overseeing the operations of this consultant/contractor?
The city website’s “contact us” page lists Affordable Housing, run by NEO, as a CITY DEPARTMENT. http://www.ci.hercules.ca.us/index.aspx?page=578
The website also states that “the City Manager’s Office is responsible for overseeing all departments.”
http://www.ci.hercules.ca.us/index.aspx?page=44
SOMEONE at the city must be overseing the work of this consultant/contractor, who is it? The city’s own website states it is the City Manager. But the city manager says he is not involved with NEO. What is going on? He is either in charge of city departments, or he isn’t.
This situation clearly presents the appearance of impropriety. Even if what appear to be questionable bailouts of NEO and city employees proves to be above board (and I for one would like to obtain from the city a thorough explanation for these dealings), it is precisely because it “looks bad” that allowing this type of “family and friends” employment plan is strongly discouraged by the California Leagueof Cities. See:
http://www.cacities.org/resource_files/25379.hiring.pdf