Friday, April 25, 2008

Conduct of Public Officials

Thurston, Conflict of Interest

Testimony to Pueblo City Council

Conduct of Public Officials
April 21, 2008

 

Madame President Barbara Vidmar and Distinguished Council Members,

My name is Dr. Alvin Rivera. My topic is “the conduct of public officials.’ I shall outline the problem and offer some suggestions for solutions.

First, the role of the public official may be instructive for this council. If there is a more important role for a public official than to hear the views of the citizenry I can’t imagine what it would be. In the past year, and starting on the second year, we have witnessed a deterioration of citizen’s free speech rights in the council, a removal of the television cameras to eliminate the opportunity of the public to hear the views of civic leaders, and in the words of my colleague, Ted Freeman, “The Public Forum is not a public forum at all. There is not a give-and-take exchange between the citizens addressing the council because the council does not permit it.”

 

Until the City Council moves to change its political posturing to make decisions out of the public eye, the citizens have every right to continue questioning why the council won’t answer the questions of the public. One example, why I continue to be stonewalled
when requesting information about how the Urban Renewal Authority vender fees are collected and distributed?

The second role of city council officials is to ensure they are abiding by the highest ethical standards in order to demonstrate to the community that they are leading the community by the example of their conduct. It is for this reason that high ethical standards are established for elected officials. I agree with those standards and if elected officials can’t abide by them, they shouldn’t run for office.

I was extremely distressed to learn that my Councilman Randy Thurston, according to a Pueblo Chieftain editorial with which I rarely agree, will no doubt benefit from the brokering sale of property for a city fire station because his wife is the sales person brokering the deal.

Wow, what a “conflict of interest!”  Call it what you like, but I’m embarrassed to learn that the city attorney has sought to sweep it under the carpet indicating Thurston did not participate in the council discussions, but he will surely benefit from his wife’s sale of the property.

I have sought to determine the accuracy of the editorial and no one disputes its content (Attached). This being the case, I agree with the Chieftain, “…[I]f Mrs. Thurston ends up brokering the sale of the property to the city, the household of Mr. and Mrs. Thurston stands to benefit. That is a conflict of interest.”

I am here to suggest to Thurston’s council colleagues to prevail on him to set this matter straight and do the right thing, since the legal council has failed to do so. Let me speak plainly on this matter. I do not want any representative of mine to be involved in a “conflict of interest or a perceived conflict of interest” where he will benefit in financial ways. Period!

Finally, I am prepared to take additional action if this sale moves forward to have Councilman Randy Thurston removed from office.

Thank you,  Alvin Rivera

 

Next entry: Pueblo Citizens for Positive Change(PCPC) meeting Previous entry: The 'Virtue' of Unintended Consequences

1. Is it worth it working for a volunteer fire station?
   Fire science bachelor degree

   Fire science bachelor degree  on  10/30  at  12:08 AM

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