Art Gastelum at the center of latest LACCD contracts irregularities expose

Gateway Science & Engineering Owner Art Gastelum in center of photo.

"There is no rule that says you cannot revisit the score if you can save money,"

Gastelum's quote from Los Angeles Times story on latest contract irregularities at LACCD

....... or perception of saving Art? That is the premise behind the latest LA Times story on the on-going investigation into contract irregularities (ie bid-rigging) at the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD) massive capital improvement program (Prop J).

The latest centers on changes to bidding scores and the nefarious interactions that were the root cause. But as the Van de Kamp Coalition points out, how can LACCD and the public interest be served if the contracted Inspector General Christine Marez, has her own conflict of interest issue as noted in the comment section of the Times story?

investigatevandekamps at 1:32 AM September 23, 2011

Is it telling that Christine Marez's own hiring was apparently rigged to elevate her from near last in the firm rankings to the top position.  That's what the State Controller concluded when he audited LACCD's records in the construction management program.

The Van de Kamps Coalition proactively gathered Marez's Facebook and MySpace public brags to friends that she was in line to get a huge contract.  Marez has no experience ever being an Inspector General, yet yet was elevated by the votes of Mona Field and others to the short list and contract award of $3.25 million over two years. Nice work if you know someone.  Since it has been revealed that Marez once worked for Art Gastelum, her new report "finding" possible contract rigging in favor of Gastelum -- may simply be an effort to cover her tracks from Gastelum into the LACCD's Board Room. Kinda sounds like hiring a fox to investigated the ravage hen house by its brethren.

....... and the possible road map to the resolution of this massive scandal at LACCD?

With each new report and each news story, the Los Angeles Community College District slips closer to criminal investigation and possible indictments.  The stench of corruption has been rising ever since a small band of community activists began asking for documents related to the LACCD handing the $86 million Van de Kamps Campus over to pet projects of the Mayor's Office, including the Alliance for College-Ready Public Schools. The put documents together that interested the LA Times in conducting a two year investigation that led to the six-part series of articles last March.  The Van de Kamps Coalition took documents to State Controller John Chiang's office that triggered the scathing audit report released last month.  Additionally, the Van de Kamps Coalition's recent win in Court holds Board Trustee Mona Field and ex-trustee Sylvia Scott-Hayes accountable for making excuses for the LACCD unions to hand the campus away to groups that have no business being given use of the community college campus intended for young adults in Northeast Los Angeles.  The Van de Kamps Coalition continues to investigate and turn over the slimy underside of the LACCD's contracting practices.

Your thoughts..............

Scott Johnson in CD 14