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Resident asks council to agendize forensic audit under Proposition 218 concerns

5566362 · August 13, 2025

Summary

A resident told the council he had asked a council member in February to have the city's water and wastewater enterprises audited by an independent forensic accountant and asked the council to agendize the matter after receiving a city attorney summary the resident called incomplete.

During the public forum, resident Mister Belt told council members he had requested in February that a council member refer his concerns about the city's water and wastewater enterprises for a forensic financial audit. He said councilman Barrack forwarded his email to the city attorney instead of ordering an independent audit and then received a condensed memo from the city attorney after waiting more than four months.

Belt told the council he found errors and omissions in the attorney's summary and said he did not make a public records request for the memo; he asked for the full memo to be shared and for the council to put the matter on a future agenda. He said he wanted to agendize the item to allow both sides to present information and to restore confidence in city financial practices. He explicitly referenced Proposition 218 in his remarks as the legal framework for municipal fiscal matters.

Mayor and staff acknowledged the public comment and the request to agendize the matter; the council did not take formal action at the meeting but Belt said he would again ask the council to calendar the item.

Context: Proposition 218 establishes rules for local government taxes, assessments, and charges in California; the resident framed his request in terms of compliance with the measure. Staff did not provide new documents at the meeting and said public‑records and attorney‑client limits may apply depending on circumstances. No formal audit authorization was made at the meeting.

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