Correction: An earlier version of this article incorrectly described the return of a campaign contribution. Mayor Christina Fugazi has already returned the contribution.
The Stockton City Council’s special session Wednesday to examine claims of possible financial wrongdoing by former interim City Manager Steve Colangelo has a new item on the agenda.
In addition to discussion of claims by Vice Mayor Jason Lee that Colangelo promised about $824,000 to a nonprofit without council approval, Mayor Christina Fugazi has added another item: Whether to recommend that the council establish an investigatory ad-hoc committee to conduct a review of allegations involving the vice mayor.
The meeting on allegations against Colangelo was supposed to have been conducted last week, but it could not proceed for lack of a quorum. Two city councilmembers who voted in favor of holding the special meeting last week did not attend, forcing the cancellation.
Lee and Councilmembers Michael Blower and Mario Enriquez had voted “yes” to the special session and attended the meeting on Thursday. Councilmembers Michele Padilla and Mariela Ponce had voted “yes” to the meeting as well but were absent when the session began.
Fugazi and Councilmember Brando Villapudua voted “no,” with Fugazi expressing she had a prior engagement and Villapudua absent from the meeting.
It’s yet unknown which councilmembers will come to the rescheduled special session at 6 p.m. Wednesday. Most did not return calls to confirm their attendance.
Padilla did respond: She is out of state.
Blower confirmed he would attend the meeting and said he expects the mayor will be at the meeting as well since she made an addition to the agenda.
The vice mayor shared a letter with the media allegedly from Colangelo bearing his signature, writing that the city was committing the money to the nonprofit Service First of Northern California to bolster the organization’s application for more than $8 million in state grant money.
Lee claimed Fugazi was aware of the letter and that the nonprofit’s leader had donated to Fugazi’s campaign, according to a press release. The mayor issued a response that she had returned the donation.