Who’s Running the Show in Monterey Park?

Since when does a city manager have carte blanche regarding expenditures and salaries? When the city manager of Monterey Park is called on for accountability on seemingly unethical hiring practices or unauthorized expenditures, a group of beneficiaries raise up a smoke screen by suggesting that racism is the motive for the investigation.

I cannot believe the blatant excuse Mark Lewis used for purchasing a $10,000 computer (at the request of his new employee) without the approval of the City Council, knowing full well that he must have expenditures of over $5,000 pre-approved. His excuse was that the cost of the components brought the price over his authorized amount.

I should have used that “reasoning” when my boss allowed me to buy a company car not to exceed $15,000. I could have said that the car actually cost $15,000, but when I added the motor, air-conditioning, stereo and cellular phone, the cost sort of doubled.

In calling for an independent audit, Councilwomen Marie Purvis and Betty Couch are well within their administrative realm. Anyone in business knows that it is the right and duty of administrators to demand responsibility and accountability from their managers and department heads; more so in this case, as the accountability must be to the people of Monterey Park.

Wasn’t it only 1 1/2 years ago that an audit was requested of Mark Lewis’ management by some members of the City Council only to be dropped when again allegations of racism were spread in several newspapers?

Who’s running the show? Are scare tactics, innuendoes and personal attacks on civic-minded council members such as Marie Purvis going to be the politics of Monterey Park?

NORMA FERRALES

Alhambra