Former CSD president Lisa Schicker posted a letter to the editor in The Tribune today:

Distrust

In a July editorial, this paper praised county supervisors for firing David Edge and Gail Wilcox, saying their conduct “raises the specter of favoritism and gives the public another reason to distrust county government.”

Here’s another reason to distrust: the dismissal of a 1,000-plus page referenced complaint against Paavo Ogren, public works director.

Contrary to County Counsel Warren Jensen’s assertions (Tribune, Aug. 19), I believe the complaint contained evidence suggesting Ogren’s involvement in self-dealing, bid-rigging, conflict of interest, violation of design-build law and improper contract procurement processing.

Evidence describes Ogren’s history of recommending no-bid public contracts and approving expensive change orders to the same firms over and over — firms he worked for as a private consultant.

The Board of Supervisors just ended a similar no-bid contract with attorney Clay Hall’s firm, going out to competitive bid for the first time in years.

According to Jensen, most of the evidence in the Ogren complaint remains unread and uninvestigated. Some of the evidence requires further internal investigations.

Supervisors say they won’t tolerate unprofessional behavior and serious allegations remain. Supervisors, please demand a full, independent inquiry into Ogren’s involvement with the Los Osos Wastewater Project and its links to the Los Osos Community Services District’s 2001 sewer contracts and the Lopez Dam retrofit contracts; county taxpayers deserve nothing less.

Lisa Schicker Former president and board member, Los Osos Community Services District

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