ORANGE COUNTY PERSPECTIVE : Outside Look Worth the Cost

Trying to save a city money is something a mayor ought to be commended for, especially in tight budgetary times. Outside consultants are one obvious place to trim. But there are some causes worth spending for, such as clearing the air. That’s true even in the deficit situation that San Juan Capistrano finds itself in.

That’s why it’s hard to figure Mayor Kenneth E. Friess’ opposition to the City Council’s plan to hire a law firm and an accounting firm to look into the city’s loan transactions with City Manager Stephen B. Julian.

To sort things out in a credible way, the city needs an independent inquiry. Lending money to a municipal employee is a bad way to run city government, and shouldn’t occur.

The mayor continued this week to oppose an expenditure authorized by the council for an independent investigation on the ground that the roughly $16,000 it would cost would be too expensive. That’s a penny-wise and pound-foolish approach.

The need for the outside inquiry has been buttressed by a recent decision by the district attorney’s office not to investigate the loans, going back to 1981. After the mayor had asked for a review, Chief Assistant Dist. Atty. Maurice L. Evans reported that he found no evidence suggesting any crime was committed. But with the district attorney out of the picture, the lawyers and accountants may provide as independent a look at the loans as the city will get.

And the fact that there is a review doesn’t mean that it will be as thorough as we would like to see. It’s unfortunate, for example, that the lawyers are to look primarily at whether the agreements with the city manager are enforceable. We’d prefer a more exhaustive review, including interviews with everyone involved.

It’s encouraging that the City Council has insisted on a review anyway, even if the mayor is going along reluctantly. Everyone can benefit from the kind of examination that only can come by having someone outside City Hall look at the record.