BREA : Council Votes to Pay Wedin’s Legal Fees

City taxpayers will pay the legal costs for Councilman Wayne D. Wedin, who is facing trial Nov. 12 on five misdemeanor counts of conflict of interest. He allegedly lobbied to give a city contract to a company that employed him as a consultant.

The City Council voted 3 to 0 Tuesday with Wedin abstaining to pay Wedin’s attorney fees, which will cost a minimum of $20,000.

“If a police officer is charged, he comes to us for assistance. This is no different,” said Mayor Burnie Dunlap, who joined Councilmen Glenn G. Parker and Carrey J. Nelson in approving Wedin’s request for legal help.

The district attorney has charged Wedin with violating the state’s Political Reform Act by allegedly helping Keith Cos. of Costa Mesa win a $320,000 city contract while he was working for the company as a consultant.

Wedin, 52, is also accused of failing to disclose income totaling $37,562 he received from Keith Cos. from May to November, 1990, in his 1990 statement of economic interest.

The councilman has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Keith Cos. was later dropped from consideration when an investigator from the Fair Political Practices Commission warned the city attorney of possible conflict-of-interest violations.

Wedin has been credited with most of the commercial development in the city while working as city manager from 1968 to 1983. He had said in an open letter to the city that he turned down an offer by county prosecutors to plea-bargain. He reiterated Tuesday that he has decided to face trial.

“I was offered the opportunity (to plea-bargain), but I declined. I am making a commitment to you. I won’t do it,” Wedin said, after a resident asked him at the council meeting to say categorically he will not plea-bargain.

The resident, Ralph Heinmann, said Wedin should return everything the city spends on his legal defense if he chooses to plea-bargain.

Last month, former Mayor Ronald E. Isles pleaded guilty to seven misdemeanor counts of conflict of interest stemming from his conduct as councilman from 1989 to 1991. He was placed on three years’ probation, fined $13,500 and disqualified from being a candidate or lobbyist for four years.

Deputy Dist. Atty. James J. Mulgrew, who is prosecuting the Wedin case, declined comment on the plea-bargain offer. “We are going to trial. That’s all I can say,” he said.

City Atty. James L. Markman, who recommended that the city pay for Wedin’s defense, said the charges against Wedin were brought on account of his “employment as councilman.” He said Wedin acted in good faith, without malice, and in the apparent interest of the city.

Parker said the city must support its employees, much in the same way private companies provide assistance to employees sued for job-related functions. “It is the best interest of the city to provide this kind of assistance,” the councilman said.

Dunlap said he decided to vote for supporting Wedin after consulting many residents, including a former mayor.

“This has a chilling effect on public officials,” he said. “If we can not provide the protection, who will step up and run for office?”

Four of the five residents who spoke on the issue favored the council’s action.

“I’ll take a collection myself if the city wouldn’t help,” resident Charles Bates said.