Sigoloff to Run County? Get Serious

The consideration of Sanford Sigoloff to be Orange County’s administrator is just incredible.

Sigoloff achieved national fame (infamy?) in the best-selling book, “America: What Went Wrong?” by Donald L. Barlett and James B. Steele (1992), in which the authors devote an entire section to Sigoloff under the heading, “The Lucrative Business of Bankruptcy.”

They tell how Sigoloff first became “Ming the Merciless” by firing 12,000 employees at B. Altman, Bonwitt Teller, Sakowitz and other stores and making millions for himself in the process.

If this is the kind of “special experience” to which (Supervisor Marian) Bergeson is referring, all the county employees could be short-timers. But that kind of personality is also an affront to the public and is not productive any more than was “sacking” the entire treasury office staff last week.

Sigoloff has no public experience, knows nothing about Orange County and has devoted his entire career to self-aggrandizement. This ill-considered appointment will give the rest of the country another big laugh at Orange County’s expense. It’s another glaring example of poor judgment, lack of thought and lack of homework.

PATRICK F. FLYNN

Yorba Linda

* Please, please research more thoroughly Mr. Sigoloff’s dealings with Wickes Company, its board and officers, and its stockholders (all classes). Mr. Sigoloff had great press while firing employees and renegotiating with Wickes lenders.

On the same subject: The supervisors have an absolute conflict of interest in interviewing and selecting the county CAO. The person chosen will have to deal with county employees and elected officials who may become the focus of civil, criminal and grand jury investigations. Perhaps the grand jury or the court would be impartial in this selection process.

BOB REED

Orange