Audit Reveals Forged Check Warrants, Personal Use of Government Funds By City Officials, Personal Loans to City Officials, Payments of Over $1 Million with No Explanation, and Various Other Irregularities

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Over 200 Residents Have Submitted Letters Through An Online Petition Website Urging District Attorney Paul Zellerbach to Take Action

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For Immediate Release
March 19th, 2013
Contact: BCRG

(Beaumont, CA) Following the results of an audit of the City of Beaumont’s finances which revealed numerous and specific instances of forged check warrants, personal use of government funds by City officials, personal loans to City officials, payments of over $1 million with no explanation, and various other irregularities, residents are calling upon District Attorney Paul Zellerbach to open an investigation.

Utilizing the website www.CleanUpBeaumont.org, over 200 residents thus far have submitted petition letters. The site, which went live on February 28th, has generated a significant amount of interest in a short …

Audit Reveals Forged Check Warrants, Personal Use of Government Funds by City Officials, Personal Loans to City Officials, Payments of Over $1 Million with No Explanation, and Various Other Irregularities

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For Immediate Release – January 24th, 2013

(Beaumont, CA) In a letter sent last week to the Riverside County Grand Jury by independent auditor Libi Uremovic, the financial practices of the City of Beaumont have been called into question.

The letter, which summarizes results of an audit of the City’s books covering the period of May through October, 2012, requests immediate action on the part of the Grand Jury as these issues involve “Tax Payer Funds, Insurance Fraud, and Employee Benefits.”

One example cited in the letter is …

The Website the City Tried to Take Down

(Riverside) A California Appellate Court last week dismissed once and for all the appeal of City of Beaumont consulting firm Urban Logic Consultants (ULC) in favor of a citizens group, finally putting an end to the lawsuit originally filed by Urban Logic Consultants against Beaumont Citizens for Responsible Growth (BCRG).

Members of the Board of Directors of the non-profit group Beaumont Citizens for Responsible Growth were served on Thanksgiving Day 2010 with the lawsuit brought against them by Urban Logic Consultants, a private company that provides Planning, Public Works and Economic Development services to the City of Beaumont.

At issue was a website sponsored by BCRG in which the group …

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Beaumont City Councilman Brian De Forge has paid a $1,000 fine to the Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) for not reporting income earned by his construction business for work done with the Beaumont-Cherry Valley Water District.

The fine stems from a complaint that was filed in April 2011 by Beaumont resident Judy Bingham on behalf of the Beaumont Citizens for Responsible Growth, to which she is a member. According to documents, De Forge’s contruction company worked with the water district in 2007 to build its new office at 560 Magnolia Ave.

De Forge’s company – Brian E. De Forge Construction – was paid $174,100 for 16 weeks worth of work on the project. He employed 10 workers and was the …

As reported by the Press Enterprise, the Superior Court awarded Beaumont Citizens for Responsible Growth (BCRG) nearly $50,000.00 in attorney fees and court costs for successfully defending a 3 million dollar lawsuit brought against the group by Urban Logic Consultants Inc. principals, Dave Dillon, Ernie Egger and Deepak Moorjani, which violated Beaumont citizens’ First Amendment Rights. In order to protect their right to collect on the judgment, BCRG was forced to place liens on property owned by Urban Logic and its principals. Still, Urban Logic has refused to meet their obligations to make BCRG whole.

This appears to be just another example of the arrogant attitude displayed by Beaumont city officials…an attitude that makes them believe they are above the …

(Riverside) A Riverside County Superior Court commissioner ruled on Tuesday in favor of a citizens group in a lawsuit filed against them by managers for the City of Beaumont.

Members of the Board of Directors of the non-profit group Beaumont Citizens for Responsible Growth (BCRG) were served on Thanksgiving Day with the lawsuit brought against them by Urban Logic Consultants (ULC), a private company that provides Planning, Public Works and Economic Development services to the City of Beaumont.

At issue is a website sponsored by BCRG in which the group voices its concerns about the contracting practices of the City. On its site, www.BeaumontGate.org, the group accuses the City of a long history of favoritism in the awarding of public …

The California Fair Political Practices Commission is investigating allegations that Beaumont Mayor Brian De Forge violated conflict-of-interest rules by not reporting income he made working for the Beaumont-Cherry Valley Water District.

Roman Porter from the commission confirmed a probe has been opened and said in an email that it has not yet been determined if a violation of the Political Reform Act took place.

The allegations were made by Judy Bingham for Beaumont Citizens for Responsible Growth, a group of citizens frequently at odds with Beaumont City Hall.

Her complaint states, “From October 2000 to November 2007 …

The Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board has notified the city of Beaumont of alleged state Water Code violations and assessed $66,000 in mandatory minimum penalties.

The maximum administrative civil liability for the alleged violations, if imposed upon the city of Beaumont, would exceed $3.6 million, according to the Santa Ana Regional Board.

Between June 2006 and January 2011, the city of Beaumont violated its waste discharge requirements 30 times, and was in violation for a total of 366 days, according to a May 10 certified letter from Santa Ana Region Division Chief Robert Holub to Beaumont City Manager Alan Kapanicas.

The alleged violations occurred at the City of Beaumont Wastewater Treatment Plant, 715 W. 4th St., south of …