Board of Supervisors wants controversial billboards removed

The Board of Supervisors today directed county counsel to order Oakridge Corp., at once ensnared in a bribery scandal involving former County Administrative Officer James Hlawek, to remove two billboards on county-owned land in Colton.

The county sued Oakridge in 2000 for bribing Hlawek, who along with others was also sued, prosecuted and convicted for their roles in one of the biggest scandals in county history.

Hlawek took bribes from Oakridge in exchange for the company getting the green light to erect the billboards at the junction of the 10/215 freeways in Colton.

"This is further evidence that the county is ready, willing and able to address corruption regardless of how long it takes, and it's a reminder to everyone that we have a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to waste, fraud and abuse," Supervisor Josie Gonzales said in a news release.

The county won a $3.8 million judgment from Oakridge in 2005. Revenues from the billboards were seized by federal authorities and awarded to the county, which has racked in more than $717,000 in revenue from the billboards since then, according to the news release.

"I believe that no one should ever profit from those ill-gotten billboards,so they must be taken down," Supervisor Brad Mitzelfelt said.

The county has won more than $35 million in judgments, settlements, and restitution, more than $18 million of which has been collected.

"These billboards stand as an insulting monument to the corruption scandal of the 90s, and taking them down is one way to put that dark chapter in the county's history behind us," Gonzales said.

joe.nelson@inlandnewspapers.com