Providing an interactive investigative news site designed to inform & elicit communication focusing on matters impacting Crooked River Ranch matters & beyond
FUNNY BUSINESS?
9/29/23, 2:20 PM
FUNNY BUSINESS?
“An appearance of a conflict exists when an employee is involved in a particular matter involving specific outside parties (including individual, corporate entities, etc) and the circumstances are such that a reasonable person with knowledge of the relevant facts would question the employee’s impartiality in the matter.”
“…Gus (Abbas) has been great in dealing with that kind of repair for us and knows bigger irrigation equipment.” Ranch Manager Judy Lapora
“This is something Gus and I talked about. I’ve worked with this contractor for several years now.” Ranch Golf Course Superintendent Richard Jensen
As previously reported, a questionable AFE (Authorization for Expenditures) for $21,723.12 was unanimously approved, AFTER THE FACT, at the February 20, 2023, CRR Regular Board of Directors meeting.
The $21K AFE was for an Abbas Pump Service Invoice that Lapora and Jensen presented and defended at the Board meeting.
They knew they had violated Policies and intentionally withheld this information from the Directors until this Board meeting.
The request to cover the above expenditure was again, for services performed by Abbas Pump Services, PRIOR to the Board’s approval and apparently caught them off guard.
Former Treasurer Randy Peterson commented: “Typically we like to see a couple of bids anyway-is it because nobody else would bid. This or just nobody else was available to do the work?”
Jensen responded: “THIS IS SOMETHING GUS AND I TALKED ABOUT. I’ve worked with this contractor for several years now. He’s done a great job for us.
This was supposed to be, I thought, under about FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS and they ran into a whole bunch of problems…”
Lapora commented: “What happened here was, there was a lot more damage than was originally thought. Unfortunately we’re talking about some pretty major pumps and not something that, motors and not something you or I would have-irrigation and stuff at home.”
“GUS HAS BEEN GREAT IN DEALING WITH THIS KIND OF REPAIR FOR US AND KNOWS BIGGER IRRIGATION EQUIPMENT.”
Director Ara Erdekian asked: “At what time did you know it was going to be twenty-two thousand dollars?”
Jensen: “It was back in NOVEMBER (2022). Judy and I sat down and talked about it and JUST WENT FORWARD WITH IT.”
