LAKEPORT — The Lake County District Attorney”s Office and county counsel will separately investigate whether a former Sheriff”s Office lieutenant misused public funds and if he or anyone is liable for criminal or civil charges, the Lake County Board of Supervisors discussed Tuesday.
Dave Garzoli, who is now a Lake County Sheriff”s Office sergeant, allegedly used Drug Enforcement Administration grant money for helicopter pilot training rather than the approved marijuana reconnaissance and eradication.
Board members sent a letter to the California Attorney General in January asking the office to investigate, but the office declined, referencing its lack of resources. The office referred the board to local law enforcement and the state auditor.
Supervisor Denise Rushing said she thinks the County Administrative Office audit was more than sufficient.
“What we don”t know is the kinds of questions an investigator would ask, like did this individual think he had the right to do this?” Rushing said.
Rushing said she thinks the county needs to file civil charges to recover grant funding used for flight training, especially those obviously not related to marijuana reconnaissance such as night flights.
Supervisor Jeff Smith said if Garzoli hadn”t crashed the Cutting Edge Helicopter while training June 25, the board still might not know about the helicopter training.
“Looking at it really simply, it”s something if it would have come before the board, we wouldn”t have approved it,” Smith said.
Chairman Anthony Farrington said neither the district attorney nor the sheriff fall under the direction of the board except for budgets. The voters have the power to hold them accountable.
“The allegations if substantiated, I know this board has terminated other department heads for lesser offenses,” Farrington said.
The District Attorney”s Office will investigate for possible criminal offenses and county counsel will examine information for a civil case, board members and county staff agreed. Both offices will bring the issue back before the board after investigating.
The board addressed a number of issues at its meeting Tuesday in the County Courthouse in Lakeport.
Rushing presented a proclamation designating April as Child Abuse Prevention Month in Lake County to about 20 people involved with the prevention programs.
Smith then presented the same group with a proclamation designating April as the Month of the Young Child in Lake County.
The board unanimously voted to move forward with an ordinance amendment concerning capacity fees and changes to rules related to the Southeast Regional Wastewater Collection System.
The system has been having sewage spills diluted by rainwater for years in Clearlake.
Health Services staff will work to develop a licensing program, the cost for administration and enforcement of a tobacco control program, board members and staff agreed.
The board voted 4-1 to approve findings of fact and deny the appeal made by the Sierra Club Lake Group on the Planning Commission”s certification of the final environmental impact report for the Cristallago development. Rushing voted no.
Board members unanimously agreed to send letters to state and federal agencies requesting funding for research on the Geysers and the mechanisms causing earthquakes to better mitigate the issue.
The board voted 4-1 to approve the purchase of property at 1305 Reclamation Road in Upper Lake for $230,000. Supervisor Rob Brown dissented. The property is in the Middle Creek restoration area, which the county hopes to buy and turn back into wetlands, said Brent Siemer, Public Works director.
Board members unanimously voted to add two people to the Animal Control Advisory Board, who were already sitting on the board, in the member at-large category until the terms expire in 2011.
Contact Katy Sweeny at kdsweeny@gmail.com or call her directly at 263-5636, ext. 37.
