Councilwoman Asks for Cash Review After Alleged Theft

Councilwoman Wendy Greuel asked for a review Friday of all cash operations in the city of Los Angeles after two golf course employees allegedly stole thousands of dollars and handed out free golf passes.

The goal, said Greuel, was to keep city employees who handle cash from stealing it. “The majority of our employees are on the up and up, but let’s take away the small potential that anything could happen,” she said.

Two employees who worked at the city-owned Penmar Golf Course in Venice recently resigned amid suspicion that they had stolen a “significant” amount of money, said Jane Kolb, a department spokeswoman. Kolb said officials became suspicious after a precipitous drop in revenue was noticed at Penmar. “The course was packed ... so we wondered why are revenues dropping?” Kolb said.

She said the matter will probably spur a criminal investigation.

Mayor James K. Hahn supports Greuel’s motion, said his spokeswoman, Shannon Murphy. The mayor has also requested that City Controller Laura Chick audit all “golf course admission processes.”

With city departments taking in millions in cash each year, Greuel wants Chick and City Administrative Officer William Fujioka to study whether more collections should be automated -- and whether more internal auditors are needed in departments that handle a lot of cash.

Last spring, Chick found that the department that operates Olvera Street in downtown Los Angeles could not account for money collected at several parking lots.