Correction: An earlier version of this article included a misspelling of the retired Stockton community relations officer. Her name is Connie Cochran.
In its first act investigating alleged misappropriations of diversity, equity and inclusion funds, members of Stockton City Council subpoenaed 10 senior city officials Thursday.
Those in the hot seat include former interim City Manager Steve Colangelo, former Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer Preya Nixon, acting City Manager Will Crew and Deputy City Managers Courtney Christy and Chad Reed, Stockton City Clerk Katherine confirmed to Stocktonia.
Subpoenaed persons are scheduled to appear Oct. 20 at 9 a.m, Roland said. The investigative hearing will be open to the public.
Vice Mayor Jason Lee provided the list of potential witnesses during discussions at the council’s Audit Committee meeting earlier this month about the controversial diversion of DEI money, which made headlines over the summer.
“The purpose of the investigation is to understand how we got here,” Lee said of the reallocated DEI funds — nearly $100,000, Stocktonia first reported in mid-June — during the Sept. 15 committee meeting.
The money allegedly funded Colangelo’s hiring of Lathrop City Manager Steve Salvatore as a consultant to teach him how to do his job, despite assurances from some city councilmembers, including Mayor Christina Fugazi, that Colangelo was qualified for the job.
“Everybody seems to not know who did it or if it even happened,” Lee added at the committee meeting.
The Audit Committee, chaired by Lee and composed of Councilmembers Michele Padilla and Michael Blower, was selected to lead the investigation during a late-August City Council meeting in lieu of hiring outside counsel to investigate.
Current and former city department heads will also be asked to take the stand, including newly-minted Public Information Officer Tony Manor, Director of Human Resources Rosemary Rivas, interim Budget Officer Brandon Sepulveda, Director of Information Technology Jamil Niazi and retired Community Relations Officer Connie Cochran. Roland confirmed to Stocktonia their names were among those being called in for questioning.
Reasoning surrounding those chosen to testify has not been publicly released.
“The people need to know what’s really going on,” Councilmember Mario Enríquez told Stocktonia in a phone call late last month. “It’s not a way to get anyone in trouble. It’s just a way to find out how decisions are made — and why they were made.”
Enríquez, who served as an alternate for Blower at the Sept. 15 Audit Committee meeting where the list of potential witnesses were disclosed, previously shared his discontent for the city’s lack of transparency about its DEI spending in a June press conference led by Lee.
This investigation is the first to be carried out under a section of the city’s charter that grants City Council investigative powers. Council is allowed to designate an already-established committee, an independent auditor or an external legal counsel to conduct investigations related to allegations of abuse and concerns about mismanagement in city operations.
Under the city’s charter, the council and its committees have the power to “Issue subpoenas to compel the production of documents, records, or testimony.” Testimony is given under oath.
Committees are also required to provide regular reports on progress of the investigation to the City Council. A final report — to include findings, concerns and committee recommendations for corrective actions and reforms — must also be made public “unless confidentiality is required for legal or privacy reasons,” the city charter stipulates.
Subpoenas are issued in the name of the city and certified by the city clerk and delivered via postal service and electronically, Rolland said.
According to state law, subpoenas issued by cities have the same legality as those in civil court cases. They must be signed by the mayor and confirmed by the city clerk.
Those who defy a city-issued subpoena could face civil proceedings if the mayor reports the issue to the county’s superior court. A judge could then direct the county sheriff to take action to ensure those who are noncompliant with the city’s summons are brought before the court. Further defiance could even result in being in contempt of court.
The Stockton city attorney’s office did not immediately respond to further questions from Stocktonia about the policies governing council investigations, including the consequences someone may face if they defy a council subpoena.
Councilmembers Lee, Padilla and Blower also did not directly respond to Stocktonia’s requests for comment.
In a statement shared with Stocktonia by city spokesperson Tony Mannor, the Audit Committee’s councilmembers said they are “currently reviewing the information around the City’s diversity and inclusion efforts” and would provide no further comment while the “matter is under review.”
Attempts by Stocktonia to reach the subpoenaed parties for comment were unsuccessful as of Friday afternoon.