It looks like the city has the numbers after all for the cost of sending city officials on a sister city trip to San Luis Potosi, Mexico, Airan Scruby reports.
City defends lack of disclosure on Sister City trip cost
Airan Scruby, Staff Writer
Article Launched: 08/26/2008 10:44:17 PM PDT
PICO RIVERA – Officials said it was “happenstance” that the cost of sending a Sister City delegation to San Luis Potosi, Mexico, was not released last week.
City Manager Chuck Fuentes said he did not provide information because he believed Interim Finance Director John Herrera would have records of how much money had been budgeted for the trip. Herrera was unable to provide the numbers, he said, because he was out of the office.
“This was one measly little trip, and I’m dealing with multimillion-dollar issues here,” Fuentes said. “I think it’s just out of proportion.”
City spokesman Bob Spencer said he had prepared information on the cost of the trip and the goals of the visit last week, but was not asked for information when this newspaper reported that no figures had been released about the trip.
“Nobody called me,” Spencer said. “I had the information. I don’t know whether the city manager had that information at his disposal or not.”
The city spent about $5,200 to send its five delegates, Spencer said. This was offset by $1,600 earned through sales of DVDs from the Miss Pico Rivera Pageant.
