As part of a public records request seeking more information about the League of Women Voters’ role and guidelines used to validate protest statements, I found an interesting email between Tammy Rudock and the members of the Board. If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn’t have believed it. Frank DeMicco was a member of the citizen’s group that worked on the first rates protest and is currently a candidate for CCSD Director. The same week he filed as a candidate, the general manager “finally had time” to look into Mr. DeMicco’s credentials. She said some on the Board and some staff wanted to know if he was really a professional engineer, as he had described himself at a public meeting. The email explaining her actions apparently came after Director Clift asked her why he and the other board members was being sent Mr. DeMicco’s CV.

It is more than a little troublesome to know that the CCSD staff is investigating those who don’t agree with them and those who may be elected as their employer. What’s more, they did not ask Mr. DeMicco directly, but tried to get the information without his knowledge, first through his employer and, when that did not work, through the City of Santa Maria, which uses the engineering firm he works for on projects for the city. This action could in fact be in violation of ethics and fair political practices laws. At the very least, it shows reckless disregard for a member of the community and how a General Manager of a CSD checking his credentials might affect his job or reputation.

Who else has been subjected to this kind of digging? This is a small town, not some impersonal large city. Anyone who wants to know Mr. DeMicco’s qualifications, whether to evaluate the authority of his opinions or some other reason, can email or call him and ask him.

Perhaps we need have some kind of “official” repository where the resumes, curricula vitae, credentials, awards, diplomas, certificates of participation and pictures of all trophies won by each and every Cambrian is available for all to see. Oh, and let’s not forget to include any criminal convictions, bankrupties,  traffic court records and civil court judgments, regardless of how long ago they were recorded or their outcome. Of course, such a repository would bar any unsubstantiated allegations and respect the “innocent until proven guilty” doctrine that underlies our legal system.

Such a collection would certainly be interesting. Since the median age in Cambria is about 51 and many are retired, it stands to reason that our neighbors don’t necessarily know our professional and personal histories. But the bigger question is this: do we really need to make people to substantiate their histories?

Unless the CCSD plans to hire Mr. DeMicco or rely on his experience and advice in making a decision for the community, there is no reason for them to be taking time to look into his credentials – or anyone else’s for that matter. Cambria deserves better.

See the emails between Tammy Rudock and the Board about Mr. DeMicco.

See Muril Clift’s Response to Tammy’s Email.

Read the Resume Mr. Demicco gave me.

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Last 5 posts by Amanda Rice