City Auditor's Plea for Help

City Auditor Courtney Ruby set out an unprecedented plea for help from Oakland citizens today after the administration of Mayor Ron Dellums illegally withheld documents from her. Ruby is requesting that citizens contact the Mayor's office (510) 238-3141.





Dear Concerned Oaklanders,

You have likely seen the article in today's Chronicle. It is accurate - the Administration is trying to withhold key documents essential to my audit of the City's hiring practices.

There is no question that these documents should be released to my office. As City Attorney Russo states, "I issued an (legal) opinion in 2007...under the charter, the auditor has unlimited review power."

I am your eyes and ears inside City Hall. These anti-nepotism documents, as part of my Hiring Practices Audit, are critical to restoring transparency and accountability in Oakland's government.

My office will be pursuing legal avenues, but nothing is as effective as the power of a concerned electorate. I encourage you to contact the Mayor's office today and let them know that you expect the Administration to fulfill the City Auditor's request.

Committed to serving you and Oakland with the utmost integrity,

Courtney A. Ruby, CPA
City Auditor

Office of the City Auditor
City of Oakland
1 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, 4th Floor
Oakland, CA 94612
Phone: (510) 238-3378
Email: cityauditor@oaklandnet.com
Website: www.oaklandauditor.com

According to Oakland Residents for Peaceful Neighborhoods:
"Oakland auditor Courtney Ruby is attempting to check compliance with a City ordinance requiring that 'All current City officials and supervisors must disclose all known family relationships, consensual romantic relationships and cohabitant relationships with existing City employees, managers and officials.' Ruby developed a simple one-page form for the City's 800 or so supervisors to complete. All responses to the auditor are confidential.
"Dan Lindheim, the City Administrator, refuses to cooperate. He's not providing the questionnaires to Ruby. Apparently, he is not even insisting that supervisors complete them. Lindheim says he fears for the privacy of supervisors. The city attorney has confirmed that the city auditor has a right to the documents. It is Lindheim's legal duty to get the forms filled out and on to Ruby."

Oakland Blog Spotlight: Fake Plastic Fish

Beth Terry is an Oakland accountant who writes about living a plastic-free life over at Fake Plastic Fish.

Terry is not alone in her concern about how our passion for plastic -- plastic toys, plastic wrap, plastic bags, plastic clothing, plastic containers, plastic blankets, plastic diapers, plastic hair clips, plastic notebooks, plastic dishware -- is choking the oceans and killing the planet.

On April 29, 2009 David de Rothschild is planning to set set from San Francisco in the Plastiki, a 60-foot vessel made from plastic bottles and recycled waste products. Rothschild is headed for Sydney, Australia by way of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. The "patch" is a Texas-sized sea of garbage drifting below the surface of the ocean between Hawaii and California. Learn more at the GreatGarbagePatch.org.

Photo courtesy of kqedquest.

Meeting on Feb 19 to Improve Downtown Lake Merritt BART Station

The City of Oakland, BART and Peralta Community College District teamed up with the Asian Health Services, the Oakland Chinatown Chamber of Commerce and the City of Oakland to invite you to attend a series of community meetings focused on improving the area near the Lake Merritt Station. At this meeting, we will explain the Lake Merritt BART Station Area Plan process and present the survey we will use to gather input from members of the community.

RSVPs are encouraged, but not required. To RSVP please contact:

Kerry Jo Ricketts-Ferris at kjferris@oaklandnet.com, 510 238-3944
Jennie Ong at oaklandctchamber@aol.com, 510-893-8979 or
Julia Liou at jliou@ahschc.org, 510-986-6830 ext. 267

WHAT: Lake Merritt BART Station Area
Community Meeting

WHEN: Thursday, February 19, 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

WHERE: Asian Cultural Center's Main Auditorium
388 Ninth Street, Suite 290
Oakland

City Attorney John Russo on the Riders' Settlement

Last year an arbitrator upheld the City of Oakland's right to fire to former police officers, Clarence Mabanag and Jue Siapno, for insubordination and multiple acts of police misconduct connected with the notorious "Riders Case." The former officers signed a settlement agreement with the city that was finalized earlier this month.

Here is a video of City Attorney John Russo discussing the settlement, which he called an "unconditional and complete victory" for Oakland. Russo said the case is important because of the principle at stake. "Officers must be accountable to their commanders within the department and ultimately officers are accountable to us, the residents of Oakland," he said. "If officers are able to refuse to answer to police brass and to internal affairs investigations, it would be impossible to have oversight of police behavior."

Russo goes over the history of the case in the video, and explains why the city settled with more than 100 plaintiffs who alleged that they had been mistreated and abused by the Riders gang. Russo said that the reforms the city agreed to make as a result of the suit can be met by next January if there is political will in city hall. The finalization of the monitoring agreement would make a big difference for Oakland, freeing up police resources and lifting the morale of the department.