Mayor and City Council Respond to Internal Investigation Report

Mayor Cindy Silva and members of the City Council responded to the release of the internal report on Wednesday regarding city staff's response to sexual allegations against a part-time Lesher Center employee, Jason Pedroza. 

Walnut Creek Patch requested statements from each member of the council prior to the release of the report, and received a response only from councilwoman Loella Haskew. However, the council did release statements to the Contra Costa Times. 

Mayor Cindy Silva said the report largely vindicates four of the city staff who were suspended with pay earlier this year after allegations surfaced that they knew of Pedroza's actions and did not notify Walnut Creek police right away. As to City Manager Ken Nordhoff, Assistant City Manager Lorie Tinfow, and Human Resources Director Sally Rice, the report concluded they were evasive and even not honest in their answers to the internal investigator. Silva said she believes the report "makes broad and poorly substantiated conclusions regarding (city staff's) level of knowledge about or involvement in the handling of the allegation involving the part-time employee. From Scott Denison to Ken Nordhoff, nothing in the report changes my opinion of their integrity or character." 

Mayor Pro Tem Kristina Lawson said it was "obvious from the report that we have room for improvement," and she called for City Manager Ken Nordhoff to "promptly implement any and all organizational changes necessary to ensure the City organization is functioning at the highest and best level."

Councilwoman Haskew said that she feels the Pedroza matter was handled well by staff. 

"It was handled appropriately and correctly. I'm not sure how this got into this big giant issue," she said. "My experience is in private sector public accounting. I come from the perspective that is this what a reasonable person would do under the circumstances. Without equivocation, I can say it was handled reasonably. And everything else that followed was just unreasonable."