Atwater committee requested political funds be collected at police station

An independent committee that paid for political signs supporting three Atwater candidates requested donations to the group be dropped off at the Police Department inside City Hall, according to an email obtained by the Merced Sun-Star.

The email was sent by the committee’s treasurer and former Atwater Police Chief Bob Calaway to Atwater resident Linda Dash. Dash forwarded the message to about 18 others, including current Police Chief and City Manager Frank Pietro, Lt. Sam Joseph and Councilman Larry Bergman.

According to the email, Calaway requests that any “contribution be cash or check” and made to the Fiscal Responsibility and Accountability Committee. The money should be “placed into an envelope with their name ... and left with Patricia (Mead) at the Police Department,” the email said.

The Fiscal Responsibility and Accountability Committee paid $1,285 for 15 4-by-4 signs and 60 yard signs, according to Calaway. The bright yellow signs, which surfaced in Atwater about a week ago, say, “Public Safety Fire & Police Support: Bill Barkman/James Vineyard for City Council.”

A similar sign also includes the name of Mayor Joan Faul, who is seeking re-election in November.

The group also paid about $74 for two-sided fliers supporting Barkman, Vineyard and Faul. The signs do not disclose who paid for them, but the fliers do.

Pietro told the Sun-Star he doesn’t remember receiving the email, but said it would be a “conflict of interest” to have a committee supporting certain candidates collect money at the Police Department, which is a public building.

“I don’t want the Police Department to be involved in these elections,” Pietro said. “I had no clue it was happening. If it is happening, it will immediately stop, but I have to confirm if it’s happening or not.”

Calaway confirmed asking that donations be dropped off at the Police Department. He said it was only temporary while he was out of town for two months, June and July.

The committee, which was originally formed two years ago to advocate for passing Measure H, the city’s half-cent sales tax for public safety, has raised $2,350 thus far. Calaway said no contributions were dropped off for the committee at the Police Department during the two months he was gone.

“The only time this took place was when I was on vacation. Otherwise, it would never have happened,” Calaway said. “I told Patricia to set it aside in a box until I get back from vacation or give Linda Dash a call and she can take it to the bank and deposit it.”

Calaway said the committee supported Faul, Barkman and Vineyard because of their experience, background and education. He said Pietro was unaware of the decision to use the Police Department to collect contributions.

However, Calaway couldn’t explain why Pietro was on the email list. “That’s a good question,” Calaway said. “I don’t have the faintest idea.”

Councilman Bergman also denied knowledge of the email. “I honestly don’t remember seeing that email,” Bergman said, adding that he’s trying to stay out of the current election.

“If it’s a private committee, I don’t know that it’s proper to be using a city facility to collect donations,” Bergman continued, “but I don’t have enough information to make a decision.”

Atwater mayoral candidate Jim Price said collecting donations that funded political signs at the Police Department is “highly inappropriate.”

“That would be the height of inappropriateness,” Price said. “This is horrible and this is why I’m running. I knew there were things that smelled of corruption in this town, and what you’re describing in the email only confirms what I’ve been thinking.”

Vineyard, one of the candidates supported by the committee, said Calaway should have gotten Pietro’s permission to have donations dropped off at a city facility. Other than that, Vineyard said, he doesn’t see anything wrong with the process.

“The Police Department is used as a source to drop off a lot of things,” Vineyard said. “He should have cleared it through the police chief first, but as far as I know there wasn’t any money dropped off.”

When asked if he believes it would be a conflict of interest if money was received during the two months, Vineyard would not answer.

“I address issues as they occur – I address facts – not ‘what ifs,’ ” Vineyard said. “It’s like taking a gopher mound and making it into a mountain.”

This story was originally published September 30, 2014 at 10:28 PM with the headline "Atwater committee requested political funds be collected at police station."