Orlik accused of violating ordinance

Janine Marnien

City Councilwoman Debra Orlik violated a city resolution by

mailing out stationery with strong similarities to official city

letterhead, officials said Wednesday.

The resolution, passed in October, limits the use of city

letterhead and logo to official city business.

The city logo is “shaped somewhat like an arched window with a

green and brown oak branch across the top ... with the words ‘City of

La Canada Flintridge across the bottom half,” according to the

resolution. The city letterhead lists the names of the council

members on the top right and the city logo on the top left.

Orlik’s stationery features an image that resembles the city logo,

with Orlik’s name, the words “City Council” and “City of La Canada

Flintridge” on the top left side. A message at the bottom states

Orlik paid for the stationery and mailing expenses.

City officials discovered the stationery when a letter penned by

Orlik was inadvertently delivered to City Hall.

“Bottom line, Council member Orlik did have her own stationery

printed up but the stationery is very similar to city stationery,”

City Manager Jerry Fulwood said. “All that is a breach of the

resolution.”

Fulwood issued a memo Sept. 3 to Orlik and her council colleagues,

informing them of the stationery. There are no penalties for the

unauthorized use of city letterhead without approval from the

council, Fulwood stated in his memo. It is unclear what could happen

if the remaining council members decide to seek penalties, he said.

“I cannot make statements on what the City Council could or could

not do in future actions,” he said.

Orlik, who voted in favor of the resolution, denies breaching it.

“My letter doesn’t violate it because the resolution states with

specificity what the city logo looks like,” she said. “My letter just

has my name and address on the right.”

City Atty. J. Kenneth Brown and Assistant City Atty. Mark W.

Steres could not be reached for comment. The council could choose to

censure Orlik, Mayor Dave Spence said Wednesday, but added that such

action was not likely.