SPECIAL-PROSECUTOR PLAN OK'D INDEPENDENT COUNSEL WILL BE NAMED IF CAMPAIGN COMPLAINTS ARISE.Byline: Cecilia Chan Staff Writer THOUSAND OAKS Thousand Oaks, residential city (1990 pop. 104,352), Ventura co., S Calif., in a farm area; inc. 1964. Avocados, citrus, vegetables, strawberries, and nursery products are grown. - As the race to fill two open seats on the City Council heats up, funds were authorized au·thor·ize tr.v. au·thor·ized, au·thor·iz·ing, au·thor·iz·es 1. To grant authority or power to. 2. To give permission for; sanction: to hire an independent counsel to investigate and prosecute violations of the city's campaign finance law. The City Council voted 4-0 on Tuesday, with Councilwoman Linda Parks For the DC Comics character, see . Linda Park (born July 9, 1978) is a Korean American actress who is best known for her portrayal of communications officer character Hoshi Sato in the television series . abstaining, to spend up to $10,000 to hire a law firm to review any allegations of wrongdoing wrong·do·er n. One who does wrong, especially morally or ethically. wrong  do filed by city residents.
``This is beneficial to people who are wrongly accused,'' said Councilman Michael Markey, who is running for re-election and proposed the idea. ``I think it makes everybody play by the rules.'' Money would be spent only if there were complaints to be investigated, and the City Council could increase funding later. The attorney would have discretion on how to deal with a complaint found valid - either with a warning about an oversight or prosecution for gross negligence An indifference to, and a blatant violation of, a legal duty with respect to the rights of others. Gross negligence is a conscious and voluntary disregard of the need to use reasonable care, which is likely to cause foreseeable grave injury or harm to persons, property, or . ``I have a concern a candidate, Mr. Markey, is proposing a special prosecutor special prosecutor: see independent counsel. ,'' said Parks, who is running her re-election campaign in tandem Adv. 1. in tandem - one behind the other; "ride tandem on a bicycle built for two"; "riding horses down the path in tandem" tandem with well-heeled attorney Edward Masry, funding his own race. ``As a candidate, we should abstain,'' she said. ``We are proposing changing the rules in the middle of an election.'' City Attorney Mark Sellers said he would have a conflict of interest in enforcing the 1998 city law, which caps campaign contributions at $250, because he would be investigating charges involving his bosses and candidates who could become his bosses. Parks later strolled from her council chair to where Sellers sat, picked up a book of the city's codes and quizzed him on the ordinance. She said the law already provided for the district attorney's staff to prosecute violators, and she said residents with complaints could take action in court. Sellers, however, said the district attorney has limited resources to pursue such complaints. Parks also questioned why the proposal to hire a prosecutor was just for the upcoming election, and she said hiring an outside attorney could be expensive. Councilman Dan Del Campo voiced concern that tax dollars could be used against candidates while they would have to spend their own money to defend themselves. Markey said that already can happen when someone files a complaint with the Fair Political Practices Commission or the district attorney. In other action, the council --Voted 5-0 to awards bids for an $11.7 million face lift for the Los Robles Robles is a common surname in the Spanish language meaning oaks, and may refer to:
--Voted 5-0 to award C.A. Rasmussen a $1.8 million contract for the Rolling Oaks Drive extension and a $2 million contract to build the community transportation center. --Voted 5-0 to form a Community Art Museum Committee to study the feasibility of establishing a museum in Thousand Oaks. |
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