Branch Is Making Big Effort to Boost Morale, Officials Say

Orange County Recorder Lee A. Branch, censured by the Board of Supervisors for misconduct in office, has made significant efforts to boost productivity and sagging morale among employees who had complained of harassment and a hostile working environment, officials said Monday.

County Budget Director Ronald S. Rubino said that a report was issued to the supervisors Monday indicating that Branch has been complying with recommendations made to improve office relations. At the same time, the recorder has sought no retaliation against the dozens of employees who offered testimony against him during a protracted personnel investigation.

That investigation by the county affirmative action office found that Branch had mismanaged his office, sexually harassed two female employees and carried on a particularly disruptive romance with an office manager. The misconduct findings resulted in the board’s unprecedented censure of the recorder in January.

The matter since has been referred to the Orange County Grand Jury to determine whether the misconduct warrants Branch’s removal from office. Sources said that inquiry is nearing completion and is likely to end without a call for the recorder’s removal.

Branch said Monday that he is aware that a report is being prepared but did not know that it had been completed.

“I can’t comment on what I haven’t seen,” Branch said.

Rubino, who has been working as an operations consultant to Branch’s office since the affirmative action investigation was made public, said the office was “progressing nicely” and that Branch has been “absolutely cooperative.”

“Over the last month and a half, significant efforts have been made to improve and resolve issues of the past,” Rubino said. “I’m very pleased with the process. My whole focus is to move the organization forward.”

Among the changes proposed for the office are the reassignment of two employees. One of them, the office manager linked romantically to Branch, was named by employees as having received favorable treatment from the recorder.

Employees told investigators that the manager actually “ran the recorder’s office and intimidated employees at all levels in the organization.”

The other employee, an information systems manager, reportedly has not spoken with Branch in more than a year because of their differences over department policy issues, even though that position is a key in office operations.

The recorder’s office functions primarily as a repository for documents relating to real estate and loan transactions.

Officials said negotiations regarding new assignments for the two employees are continuing.

Throughout the affirmative action investigation and after its findings were made public, the 57-year-old Branch said the county inquiry was part of a political “hidden agenda” initiated by the board to remove him from office to make room for a favored candidate, County Clerk Gary Granville.

Nonetheless, Branch has vowed to seek reelection to a fifth term this year, saying Monday that the campaign was “going fine, terrific.”

Branch also faces an internal challenge from Assistant Recorder Ella M. Murphy. Branch said Murphy’s candidacy has been “disruptive” and that communications have been “guarded.”