A LOCAL ATTORNEY HAS ASKED THAT A MONTEREY COUNTY CONFLICT-OF-INTEREST CASE BE SHIFTED TO THE STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL’S OFFICE. FORMER BOARD MEMBER OF THE MONTEREY COUNTY WATER RESOURCES AGENCY (STEVE COLLINS) FACES FELONY CONFLICT-OF-INTEREST CHARGES BECAUSE HE WORKED AS A CONSULTANT ON THE REGIONAL DESALINATION PROJECT (AT THE SAME TIME AS HE WAS A MEMBER OF THE WATER BOARD).
IT APPEARS THAT ATTEMPTING TO PROSECUTING HIM AT THE LOCAL LEVEL COULD JUST CREATE MORE CONFLICT-OF-INTEREST CASES BECAUSE ALL MONTEREY COUNTY EMPLOYEES (INCLUDING THOSE IN THE MONTEREY COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE, AND ALL COUNTY SUPERVISORS) ARE CONSIDERED TO BE PART OF THE WATER AGENCY (BECAUSE OF THE AGENCY’S “ENABLING ACT”).
