Tustin Recall Group Lodges Complaint Against City Staffer

Chuck Horvarth, the unofficial head of the “Recall Amante” grassroots group, has filed a complaint with the City of Tustin’s Human Resources Department over an email he received shortly after setting up an email address for recallthemayor@earthlink.net.  The email appeared to come from a personal Gmail account belonging to Lisa Woolery, who handles PR for the city council and city manager’s office.

The email asks Horvarth about his progress on the Recall the Mayor effort and it’s signed “Marie.” But in the “from field” the nondescript email address has Woolery’s name as the sender.

Here’s the email. Lisa Woolery Email

Horvarth’s Letter is below.

April 16, 2011

Ms. Kristine Recchia
Human Resources Director
City of Tustin
300 Centennial Way
Tustin CA 92780
RE: Lisa Woolery

Dear Ms Recchia:
Over the course of the past month, since instituting the Recall Jerry Amante initiative, I have been
inundated with e-mail and telephone correspondence pertaining to this subject. We have formed
sub-committees in various areas and during this process, an e-mail was brought to my attention
which has caused serious concern on the part of a number of our members and myself, hence this
formal complaint.

It is my understanding that Lisa Woolery is an employee of the City of Tustin, working full time
as the Communications Manager. Per public record available on the City of Tustin’s website, her
2010 annual salary can reach $105,804.85. That is a very nice salary for this full time position.

Please note that Lisa Woolery has contacted me via e-mail on March 16, 2011 at 9:18 am with
reference this specific issue of Amante’s Recall. The attached copy of the e-mail was sent during
normal City of Tustin business hours from a personal e-mail address. We do not feel that Lisa
Woolery should be working on specific issues for Mayor Amante during normal or non-business
hours nor should she be on her personal e-mail account during business hours especially when it
concerns a subject that is not relevant to her job description.

Ms. Woolery is an employee of the City of Tustin not Jerry Amante. This very inappropriate
behavior should be dealt with firmly. The Tustin taxpayer’s dollars should be spent on “city
specific” matters and not on collecting espionage for Jerry Amante.

Please let me know what form of disciplinary action is being taken regarding this complaint. I
would also like to request an explanation of what initiated Lisa Woolery’s action. Your prompt
response is appreciated.

Sincerely,
Charles J. Horvath
cc: City Manager
City Council Members

Now a city employee can’t engage in what’s considered political activity especially during the business day.  We’re written Ms. Woolery to ask if this is her email address and if this is her email, and she has not responded. 

If this is, in fact, her personal email, I have one question: “who’s Marie?”

In realted news, there’s a new Facebook page for the grassroots group seeking Amante’s recall; go here and click “Like.” W’re told the group seeking Amate’s recall has grown so large, they can no longer meeting in one place at one time and the group in breaking into smaller, more neighborhood focused teams to better accommodate everyone’s schedule.