No Damages in Harassment Case;
Appeal Likely in Dismissal Verdict

A verdict came this morning on the lawsuit by Pamela Mokler, disputing her dismissal by the County from her position as Director of the Office on Aging. She had been fired in August of 2003 following a thorough investigation of contracting improprieties. She also lodged a harassment claim against me.

Happily, the jury did get one thing right in this case.

I am gratified that no monetary damages were awarded for her claim against me. I had no supervision over her, no role in her firing and spoke with her only on three brief occasions when she approached me. I did not harass her or create a hostile work environment. I was not even a part of her work environment. She made no complaint against me until after she was dismissed, and four of her own employees have sued her over harassment in the Office on Aging. If the jury thought I had done anything wrong, they would have awarded damages.

However, I am disappointed in the jury’s finding in awarding her $1.6 million in her dismissal case. There was no evidence to support an award of any amount. To rule in her favor, the jury had to believe that the 14 county officials who testified were lying. I believe the CEO acted properly in dismissing her for violating contract procedures. The fairness of Orange County’s contracting process must be defended.

County staff is reviewing our appeal options. Orange County taxpayers should not have to foot the bill for this mistaken verdict. We must uphold the highest standards, even in the face of legal challenges.

$450k for Key Ranch Improvements

On April 19th, I have agendized allocating $450,000 of the 4th District Proposition 12 funds on much needed improvements at the George Key Ranch Historic Park in Placentia.

Maintenance has been deferred for many years, and it is critical to repair the house before additional damage occurs. Currently, the roof is leaking, the three masonry chimneys need to be stabilized, and the upstairs has been closed to tours for safety reasons. The money will be used to fix these problems and make other preservations improvements.

One of only three county parks in the 4th district, the 2.2 acre Key Ranch includes a house, museum, gardens, and orange grove. Over 6,000 school children visit the park each year.

I look forward to making sure these improvements are made as soon as possible.

Coyotes Take Bus to Board Office

On March 17, an entire delegation of student leaders from Buena Park High School took an unusual field trip to visit my office. Instead of taking a school bus, they traveled the entire route by public OCTA bus.

Clad in green and white (school colors), these Coyotes (school mascot) boarded a Bus 33 at the OCTA Park-and-Ride facility, then transferred to the 62 line in Westminster for the final leg to the Santa Ana. For many, it was their first ride ever on a public bus.

They then visited my office, the Old Courthouse, county archives, the BOS Hearing Room, and ate their lunch on the grass. They returned by the same route. The visitation is part of an OCTA outreach to better inform OC kids of the advantages of public transportation. Long-beleaguered parents—tired of playing taxi—should also know that public transit is a great alternative for teens to learn self-reliance and gain urban competency skills.

Lat week I received a thank you note from Elizabeth Jessup, ASB President at Buena Park High School.
“Thank you so much for coming to our ASB class and allowing us to visit your office. It was my first time on a public bus and was glad to take it to such an exciting place. I can’t express how much fun it was. Come back and visit our ASB class again!”
-- Elizabeth Jessup, ASB President