Ethics Commission dismisses complaint against Ferraro

Dan Kulin

Friday, March 12, 2004 | 9 a.m.

The state Ethics Commission on Thursday dismissed a complaint against Boulder City Mayor Bob Ferraro that alleged the mayor influenced the content of a controversial city newsletter sent to residents about a month before the June 3 election.

The complaint was filed by Bill Smith, who lost the June election to Ferraro by 18 votes. Smith will face off against the mayor in a recall election scheduled for April 6.

Thursday's decision marked the second time Smith's complaint about Ferraro had been rejected by a state office. Smith had previously filed a similar version of the complaint with with the secretary of state's office, which determined in June the newsletter did not break the law

Smith said he again was not surprised a state agency cleared Ferraro of any wrongdoing but said he still believes the newsletter, which focused on the major issues in the campaign, was intended to help Ferraro win the election.

Smith also said that he is convinced Ferraro knew he had done something wrong because the mayor had said he didn't even see the newsletter until after it was done. However, the report from the Ethics Commission says that according to city spokeswoman Rose Ann Miele the mayor made minor grammatical corrections to the newsletter.

Ferraro said Thursday that while he often did read through the city newsletter before it was sent to residents, he didn't see that particular newsletter until after it went to print.

Miele on Thursday also stood by her earlier statements that the mayor saw a version of the newsletter before it was published. But she emphasized that Ferraro did not influence the topics addressed in the newsletter.

The Ethics Commission report also emphasized that point, saying that Ferraro's "only involvement in the process was making minor grammatical corrections."

But Smith said the discrepancy is an example of Ferraro's untrustworthiness.

"If he didn't do anything wrong then why did he lie and say he knew nothing about it?" Smith asked Thursday.

Ferraro said Smith's latest accusation "is a figment of his imagination."

The newsletter included pieces about the overall financial health of the city, the benefits of the new second water line, and the new city-owned Boulder Creek Golf Club.

Smith's campaign was based primarily on his claims that money borrowed to build the golf course and water line would become a financial drag on the city.

The newsletter repeated old pre-construction projections that said Boulder Creek would turn a profit after its first six months open.

City officials defended the publication, saying it merely gave the public information that had already been made public.

But others, including Smith, strongly criticized the newsletter for the topics covered.

The newsletter came under stronger criticism a week before the June election when the results of an independent audit were made public showing that Boulder Creek had instead lost about $480,000 in its first few months open.

Ferraro said the newsletter was misleading and criticized city staff.

The newsletter had been published four times a year by the city until then, but hasn't been published since.