COSTA MESA : Ex-Councilman Files Claim Against City

Two days after former City Councilman Orville Amburgey was cleared of conflict-of-interest charges, he filed a $16,116 claim against the city for legal fees related to the charges.

The claim filed Friday alleges that the city “through negligence or intent . . . caused criminal charges to be brought against” Amburgey. It marks what Amburgey’s attorney, Lawrence K. Harvey, calls the first of other claims to come, including one for compensatory damages for distress and another for loss of income due to the incident.

A prosecutor asked that the conflict-of-interest charge be dismissed Wednesday because of insufficient evidence after a tape recording of a June 1, 1987, council meeting cast doubt on whether Amburgey had voted to accept changes in the city’s contract with Copley-Colony Cablevision of Costa Mesa.

The criminal complaint alleged that Amburgey had voted on the changes, even though his electrical firm had done more than $900 in business with the cable company during the preceding year.

The City Council on Monday refused a request to pay for Amburgey’s attorneys’ fees. Harvey maintains that the city is obligated to pay the fees because the criminal charges resulted from a vote Amburgey made as a councilman.

“We have to wait for the city to see the claim. If they deny it, we’ll file a lawsuit,” Harvey said at Amburgey’s office Friday afternoon.

Amburgey said his family and business have suffered as a result of the charges that were filed against him.