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Resident urges citizen oversight and transparency for Crescent City wastewater financing
Summary
A Crescent City resident said long‑standing questions about the city's wastewater plant finances merit an ad hoc citizens' oversight committee and documentation before agreeing to major repairs.
During the public‑comment period a Crescent City resident urged the board to press for transparency and independent review of the city's wastewater treatment plant financing before additional funds are approved.
Donna Westfall said questions about the plant's financing and operation have persisted for nearly two decades and that a city manager is now requesting significant repair funds. She called for an ad hoc citizens' oversight committee to investigate past and current finances, contracts and management decisions; to ensure any proposed spending (she referenced both $15 million and $50 million in different parts of her remarks) is documented and justified; to secure public access to sewer user lists; and to recommend legal action and restitution if evidence of fraud is found.
Westfall referenced past difficulties pursuing these issues while serving on local bodies and cited other California corruption cases as cautionary examples. The board did not take action on the request during the meeting; the comments were received during the public comment period.
