During Testimony, Brea’s Wedin Denies Conflict of Interest

Brea Councilman Wayne D. Wedin testified Tuesday he worked with a local development firm and later helped the same company seek a $320,000 city contract, but denied that his actions posed a conflict of interest.

Wedin, 53, who took the witness stand the same day that his council term expired, faces five misdemeanor charges that he violated conflict-of-interest laws. Prosecutors say the charges center on Wedin’s failure to reveal the business relationship between his consulting firm and the Keith Cos. while taking an active role in helping Keith Cos. win a lucrative redevelopment contract with the city.

Wedin told jurors that he performed consulting work for a San Diego redevelopment project as part of a joint proposal with Keith Cos., a Costa Mesa-based development firm. That job earned him nearly $38,000 in 1990 and he was paid with Keith Cos. checks, officials said.

But during questioning by Deputy Dist. Atty. James J. Mulgrew, Wedin told jurors he believed the job placed him under contract with the City of San Diego--not the development firm.

“He believed he was working for the government (of San Diego), not as a subcontractor” for the Keith Cos., Michael R. McDonnell, Wedin’s attorney, said outside of court. “There is no conflict of interest here.”

McDonnell said his client and the Keith Cos. were working for the San Diego as part of a joint proposal and said the payment procedure was routine in such ventures. The Brea city attorney and the state’s Fair Political Practices Commission also concluded there was no conflict, McDonnell said.

The complaint alleges that Wedin helped Keith Cos. on four different occasions in 1990, pushing to make the firm one of the finalists for the redevelopment contract. Keith Cos. was later dropped from consideration after questions about a possible conflict of interest were raised.

The North Orange County Municipal Court jury in Fullerton is expected to begin deliberations today. If convicted, he faces up to six months in jail and a $10,000 fine on each charge.

Wedin’s term as councilman expired Tuesday, ending nearly two decades of service to the city. He was Brea city manager for 15 years before running for council in 1988 and later becoming mayor.

“He’s not feeling melancholy at all--in fact, he’s glad his term is expiring,” said McDonnell. “This has been a nightmare for him and he just wants it to be over. His name has been ruined.”

The issue came to light in 1990 when an anonymous tip was filed with the state’s Fair Political Practices Commission. The commission investigation results were later turned over to local prosecutors.

Wedin also is charged with failing to disclose his income from Keith Cos. in his 1990 statement of economic interest, a record required by public officials.

Wedin told jurors he would have included the income in the document if he believed there was a possible conflict.

The councilman told jurors he met with Keith Cos. officials at their request to discuss the Brea project. But Wedin said he was not showing favoritism to Keith Cos., because he would offer the same assistance to any consulting firm that requested it.

Wedin is the second former Brea mayor to face charges of official misconduct in recent months. In October, in an unrelated case, Mayor Ronald E. Isles pleaded guilty to seven misdemeanor counts of conflict of interest covering his actions as a council member from 1989 to 1991.

Isles was sentenced to three years on probation and fined $13,500. He resigned from office.

The Brea City Council voted last month to pay Wedin’s attorney fees, estimated at $20,000 or more.