Frontierland Remediation Fund - Misappropriate of Public Funds

I have in my possesion a report submitted to the Grand Jury about a year ago for their review. For whatever reason, and it could be anything, they chose not to issue a report or notify the authors to their reasoning. That is as it is. This report concerns the Frontierland Remediation Fund. A one paragraph description describes exactly what this fund is to be used for. To date, a visit to the park will find it somewhat "un-remediated". The info is here and I believe that there is more out there.

I would encourage anyone interested in what the city does with this fund to check for yourself. This is not a tax, it's a fee. It must be used for one purpose and one purpose only. Lot of money floating around somewhere>

Jim Wagner


November 22, 2008
Virginia Kiraly
Grand Jury Foreperson
c/o Court Executive Officer
400 County Center
Redwood City, CA. 94063

Re: Misappropriation of Public Funds

Dear Ms. Kiraly,

I have followed Pacifica City Council for many years. I find their total disregard for the public trust imparted upon them reprehensible. The budgetary process in Pacifica is particularly non-transparent.

I am enclosing just one of many set-aside accounts for specific projects. The Frontier land Remediation Fund is exactly what it implies. First imposed in 1997, this fee, funded through rate payer fees, is designated to the enhancement of a local park that was at one time a waste disposal site. (see attachment 1, article 8.4 of the current franchise agreement) $75,000 per year has gone to this fund since 1997. Where has that money gone? Attachment 2 (memo 07/10/2008 Ritzma) from our finance director, Ann Ritzma, makes reference to certain funds and a phantom “project” not yet picked to be funded. Her numbers cannot be cross referenced with any of the numbers that I have been supplied by her office (attachment 3 and 4). As you can see, her memo came out of left field and seems to be a cover story triggered by, and subsequent to, my requests for a history of that fund.

I was able to procure a detailed revenue/expense report for the fiscal years 02/03 to present (attachment 4). The account zeros out and there is no carry over. Why? I then requested ledgers from the inception of this account to fiscal year 01/02 to complete my analysis. I received a 6 line list of numbers (attachment 3). No breakdown of what was spent was supplied and no details that the money received was spent according to the fund stipulations. I was told that the detailed breakdowns of that fund were destroyed. Why? Regardless, this simple numerical disclosure, incomplete but telling, shows a $247,788 surplus at the end of fiscal 01/02. Where did it go?  It wasn’t carried over to 02/03.

All in all, over $800,000 has been collected and designated to this fund. These are not tax dollars. These are fees charged by Coastside Scavengers and collected as part of our garbage fees. I have enclosed recent pictures of this park. This area is located in the Park Pacifica neighborhood on Yosemite Ave. a mostly upscale neighborhood. The area represented by these pictures  is the lower portion of the park. This area used to be a tot lot used by many young children for many years. If an area needed to be “remediated” this would be the area. The upper portion of this park was rebuilt with all volunteer labor and donations with very little participation by the city.

I would request that the Grand Jury look carefully at this fund and the history of the use of these funds. It is apparent that the funds have been misappropriated and placed in other areas of the general fund for other purposes. A direct violation of the agreement. The finance directors blatant attempt to brush this off is a further example of  the “secrecy mentality” pervasive in our city hall. We have no where else to turn to but The Grand Jury. The citizens of Pacifica need a fair and transparently run government.

Thank you.