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The Honorable Judge Kim Dunning <br />August 16, 2010 <br />Page 3 <br />to be discussed or voted on would involve a bias, said juror should abstain from <br />both discussing and voting on the matter. Appropriate counsel should be asked if <br />there is any question in this matter." <br />This situation is exacerbated by inconsistent statements and contradictory actions of the grand <br />jury in this matter. In late September 2009, a member of the City Council was interviewed by <br />members of the grand jury. At that time, the councilmember expressed concern about <br />participation by the subject member. In response, the councilmember was told that the subject <br />member would not participate due to his potential conflict of interest. In late October 2009, a <br />city staff member and another councilmember were interviewed by members of the grand jury <br />and the subject member actively questioned the city officials in both interviews. Because of the <br />admonition given to witnesses not to disclose their testimony, the city staff member and second <br />councilmember were neither aware that the other councilmember had already been interviewed <br />nor that the subject member was supposedly recused from the investigation. It is worth noting <br />that this grand jury member was removed from the city commission just days before the city staff <br />member and second councilmember were interviewed. <br />Due to grand jury secrecy, we are not able to determine what further involvement the subject <br />member had in the investigation or whether he sought or obtained advice on his participation. <br />But merely based upon the inconsistent and contradictory actions of the Grand Jury recited in <br />this letter and the standards imposed on grand juries in other counties, the Santa Ana City <br />Council believes that this investigation and report are irreparably tainted by the participation by a <br />member with a potential conflict of interest and potential bias. <br />RESPONSES TO FINDINGS <br />FINDING F-1: Inadequate RFP: Santa Ana political leaders and administrative staff followed <br />inconsistent and inadequate guidelines in developing the Request for Proposal and inadequate <br />documentation in support of their final decision. The original RFP stated the scope of the project <br />but did not include the transit vision of the Mayor and Council. <br />RESPONSE: We disagree wholly with the statement that staff followed inconsistent and <br />inadequate guidelines in developing the Request for Proposal and inadequate <br />documentation in support of their final decision. In fact, the City went beyond its normal <br />procedure by first sending out a Request for Qualifications to pre -qualify firms. Request <br />for Proposals were then sent out to those firms that were pre -qualified to perform the <br />work. <br />We also disagree with the statement that the original RFP scope of the project did not <br />include the Mayor and Council Transit Vision. On page 5 of the RFP, under <br />Background, paragraph 3, the Council and the Mayor's Transit Vision is clearly stated. <br />