Walnut Creek Post Pedroza, Part One: Does City Hall Need to Heal?

by Jim Carooopas

Jason Pedroza’s guilty plea Aug. 28 to two felony counts of sex crimes with minors ended the legal phase of this strange and painful episode in Walnut Creek’s history, but it seems to have left behind deep wounds--personal and political--in its wake.

In addition to the psychic scars Pedroza’s actions left on his young victims, his behavior set off a chain reaction that eventually led to the resignation of four top-level adminstrators--City Attorney Bryan Wenter, Assistant City Attorney Katy Wisinsky, Human Resources Director Sally Rice, and Assistant City Manager Lori Tinfow. 

Though some say the months-long process of investigations is an opportunity to chart a new course, others say it has brought to light some ongoing conflicts between members of the city council and administrative staff that will take time to heal.

Patch asked all five members of the city council to weigh in with their views on this subject.

In the first of this series, Mayor Pro Tem Kristina Lawson gives her views on the fallout from the Pedroza case.

"An incredible level of discord" 

“We need to reflect on what’s happened, and look for an opportunity to improve the situation,” Lawson said. “It’s certainly not adding to a high level of morale at city hall. And there are too many things going on for this incredible level of discord going on with employees.”

Lawson said that there has been a year-long split on the council regarding administrative matters, with she and councilman Justin Wedel often disagreeing with the other three council members.

For instance, she and Wedel both supported releasing the results of an outside investigation to the public months before it was officially released. Mayor Cindy Silva, with council members Bob Simmons and Loella Haskell, citing personnel issues, opted to keep it private after it was prepared.

Attorney resignations "really disturbing" 

Lawson broke down in tears during a council meeting in August as she publicly said goodbye to outgoing City Attorney Bryan Wenter, who resigned after accusing Silva and an unnamed council member, presumably Simmons, of trying to interfere with an outside investigation into the handling of the Pedroza incident. Silva and Simmons both deny the Wenter’s claim.

Lawson cited a “pretty clear policy divide” between the council for the past year, and “ongoing tension” during that time between former City Attorney Bryan Wenter and City Manager Ken Nordhoff.

She said the resignation of Wenter was a blow to the city, but just as serious was the resignation of Assistant City Attorney Katy Wisinski.

“Her leaving in some sense sends a stronger message than Bryan,” she said. “The city attorney position is inherently political, serving at the pleasure of the council. They can come and go based on politics. But you don’t normally see an assistant city attorney pack up and leave as well. Her resignation was as principal-based as Bryan’s was. It was really disturbing, actually.

Into the future

“We need to reflect on what’s happened, and look for an opportunity to improve the organization,” Lawson said. “There are too many things going on for this incredible level of discord to be happening with employees.”

As the year draws to a close, Lawson said that she is looking ahead at ways to bring the council back together. It won’t be an easy task, with Lawson, Simmons and Silva facing reelection in 2014.

“We need to have a council that’s focused back on issues of policy as opposed to administrative issues,” she said. “For instance, we need to look toward the centennial (which the city celebrates next year). There is a lot of work to get it up and running. We need to look for opportunities connected to that celebration as well.”