Times Editorial: Insider dealing creates political stench in Hercules
— by Jeffrey Wisniewski — 7 July 2010 — 3 comments below »
The stench you smell emanating from the small city of Hercules is a conflict-of-interest cesspool that grows more putrid with each passing day. Despite warnings from residents, this paper and the Contra Costa County grand jury, City Council members continue to ignore the fetid flow, abrogating their responsibility to clean up the mess.
The council should fire City Manager Nelson Oliva. [...]
And City Attorney Mick Cabral, who has continued to publicly excuse this insidious relationship, must go too. [...]
But don’t expect any outcry from City Councilman Ed Balico. After all, the redevelopment agency helped his daughter buy a condominium in 2006 and then the agency bought the property in a short sale last year. [...]
No-bid contracts, shady deals, secrecy, conflicts of interest. Fortunately, we have learned from the Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office, law enforcement officials are investigating. [...]
Unfortunately, we see no sign that the City Council wants to clean up this mess. If no move is made by council members soon, perhaps voters should remember this in November.
The stench is overwhelming.
Quite the indictment.
The more we learn, the worse it gets.
No wonder public officials are ignoring calls to comment on this matter.
They may need to invoke the 5th.
Dear Hercules Councilmembers and Mr. Oliva,
Your conduct is reprehensible and immoral. It demonstrates a universal viewpoint among yourselves that all of you are above the law, above reporach, and above having to be accountable to Hercules Citizens. Most of you obviously feel that you are entitled to harvest whatever fruits of the city can be found whether you’ve picked them up on the street or pulled them off of your neighbors backyard trees. You are an embarrassment to our city and are the antithesis of propriety. It’s clear that none of you feel even the slightest obligation to justify, reprimand, or explain these activities to your citizens and as such, none of your citizens have even the slightest confidence that anything good will ever come of your service to this city. I URGE ALL OF YOU TO STEP DOWN NOW, INCLUDING AND ESPECIALLY MR OLIVA. YOU ALL COMPLETELY AND UTTERLY SUCK!
I am so glad and relieved that the behavior of Nelson Oliva and his group seems to be finally coming to light. Thank you Jeffrey, great reporting. Nelson and Mick Cabral should go. They are dangerously manipulative and do not seem to care one bit about the residents. There are so many instances of back-room deals and an arrogant, untouchable attitude. Lets have some real representation and get these guys out of office!