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| Councilwoman won’t vote on West Park |
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| Written by John Saiz | Patterson Irrigator | |
| Friday, 20 June 2008 | |
 Dejeune Shelton She recently accepted a job with Great Valley Center, a nonprofit that facilitates regional planning in California’s Central Valley. “Several of the council members came to me with concerns,” Shelton said Wednesday. “I never felt there was a conflict … but I didn’t want citizens to have concerns.” Councilman Sam Cuellar approached her first, Shelton said. He worried that a connection between Great Valley Center and West Park could represent a conflict of interest, he said. West Park has proposed to turn the county-owned air facility and thousands of acres of surrounding farmland into a 7.5-square-mile industrial center. Patterson City Council has consistently opposed the project. Cuellar said West Park consultant Mike Lynch once worked for Great Valley Center, and West Park’s lead developer, Gerry Kamilos, sponsored an event put on by the center. Between May 2004 and May 2007, Lynch was the Great Valley’s chief operations officer, Lynch said in e-mail. He began consulting work for West Park shortly after he left the center. Lynch said his history with the two parties did not overlap and should not create any problem with Shelton working for his former employer. Lynch said that, while working with the Great Valley Center, “I never had anything to do with West Park.” Kamilos donated $15,000 to the center in 2006, said Great Valley Center President David Hosley. But Kamilos said that a single donation does not create a conflict. “About two years ago, we helped sponsor one of their annual events,” Kamilos said. “We don’t have any affiliation.” Hosley agreed. “Dejeune will in no way have a conflict of interest,” Hosley said. Mayor Becky Campo also spoke with Shelton about a possible conflict in her new job. However, Campo said her unease was not related to West Park. “I’m looking more at the blueprint process than Crows Landing,” Campo said. Great Valley Center is helping organize a valley-wide land-use plan called the San Joaquin Valley Blueprint. Both Campo and fellow Councilwoman Annette Smith have recently expressed concerns that the process may be unfair to indivdual cities. Campo said that by Shelton removing herself from matters dealing with Crows Landing, Shelton is letting down her constituents. “It shows lack of leadership and a little bit of disrespect,” Campo said. Shelton said Crows Landing is just one of many pressing matters facing the city. “Crows Landing is a large issue, but so are foreclosures, so is water, so is infrastructure,” she said. “The idea that I would not take a job because of one issue — no.” Shelton said she asked city attorney George Logan to review the matter before she decided to remove herself from West Park decisions. “It would seem difficult, if not impossible, for a person in your position to not be conflicted in their feelings about the project,” Logan said in e-mail to Shelton. “The project is at direct odds with the strongly held positions of the organizations you are bound to support.” In an e-mail, Logan said San Joaquin Partnership, which helps promote economic development in San Joaquin County, and all the valley’s councils of governments have supported the West Park proposal. Because Great Valley Center works with these agencies, he said it would be difficult for Shelton to remain neutral. As for the center’s role in the valley blueprint process, Logan said Thursday, he saw no difficulty. “There’s no problem,” he said. To reach John Saiz at the Irrigator, call 892-6187 or e-mail him at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
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