As follow up to my last post on Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez’ attempt to hinder the audit of the Great Park finances [To San Diego Legislators], the OC Register has a follow up article that implicates Gafcon, Inc. in a potential conflict of interest situation.

Apparently, per the new article, during the deposition of former Irvine Mayor Sukee Kang he disclaimed any knowledge that during the planning of the Great Park, “…Stu Mollrich, a partner in public relations firm Forde & Mollrich, a Great Park subcontractor that answered to the Great Park Design Studio, a collaboration between Gafcon and landscape architect Ken Smith….”, that Mollrich had hired Gafcon to oversee the remodeling of Mollrich’s Laguna Beach home.   Mr. Kang expressed surprise at this information as did City Manager Sean Joyce who noted that Great Park Design Studio was supposed to oversee the work of Forde & Mollrich on the Great Park project.

It would appear that Gafcon, Inc. and Forde & Mollrich both neglected to inform the City of Irvine of this arrangement during the time they were working on the Great Park project.  Was this a reportable conflict of interest that the City should have been informed of?  I do not know but this certainly does not pass the smell test of arms length transactions for the benefit of Orange County and Irvine taxpayers on the Great Park project.

If you wish to read the latest article go to Great Park contractors….

The more layers of this onion get pealed back, the more it smells of cronyism and a massive waste of taxpayer funds.   Yet more evidence that Assemblywoman Gonzalez and the other San Diego legislators should simply BUTT OUT of this very needed audit.

Kudos to the City of Irvine council majority Mayor Steven Choi and council members Jeffery Lalloway, Christina Shea and Lynn Schott for continuing with the audit.  The people of Orange County and Irvine deserve answers regarding the Great Park finances.