PRESS RELEASE:   Thursday, November 15, the Cedar Hills Golf Course Financial Advisory Committee sponsored a Town Hall meeting wherein the committee reported the $550,000 per year average in taxpayer subsidies since opening.  (see www.CedarHills.org for the City’s posting)

In 2001, the citizens were convinced by the City Council to vote in favor of bonding $6.4 million to acquire the golf course from the developer who was already building it.  The Mayor and Council promised $150,000 a year in profits, that would help minimize the tax burden.

Cedar Hills Citizens for Responsible Government, an ad hoc group of concerned residents, was pleased that the city finally admitted that golf course has never made a profit in any year.  The issue of the golf profitability has long divided the residents, with many being misled by city officials into believing the golf course was profitable with “positive cash flow”, as reported on the front page of the September 2011 City Newsletter, prior to the last city election.

“The City is to be congratulated for finally getting the golf course financials completed,” said Jerry Dearinger, the citizen group’s legal advisor.  “Now we would encourage them to put these facts on the front page of the City Newsletter so citizens can see the financial facts and make informed decisions.”

Cedar Hills Citizens for Responsible Government believes it important for City officials to correct the misconception that the golf course has been profitable with “positive cash flow”, by publishing the golf committee’s financial summary, in the place most likely to be seen by most of the Cedar Hills residents.  We believe that place to be the front page of the City’s monthly newsletter, mailed to every home.

Dearinger added, “We think providing the year by year taxpayer subsidy facts on the front page of the Newsletter, will increase the likelihood of citizens learning that information, and help separate the current Council from the decisions of the past leadership.”

The Golf Committee also presented a business plan regarding new proposed marketing approaches they believe will increase revenue.  When a citizen asked the Committee which year the golf course would enjoy its first break-even year, the response was that they did not have such a projection, nor did they want to potentially disappoint citizens by offering a projection.

Angela Johnson commented, “The Committee talked about the golf course not being profitable and that there is no likelihood someone would buy it.  There was no discussion about the free golf given to employees and the Council.  There was no discussion about alternatives to keeping the golf course.”

Cedar Hills agrees to pay $190K settlement

see DAILY HERALD – November 18, 2012 article at…

http://www.heraldextra.com/news/local/north/cedar-hills/cedar-hills-agrees-to-pay-k-settlement/article_2224b117-c907-56fd-bd35-b5d85c092886.html

(PRESS RELEASE continued…)   Immediately following the golf Town Hall meeting, a Special City Council Meeting was held regarding a lawsuit against the City.  The Council went into a closed-door executive session, and upon return, voted unanimously to pay the Utah Valley Homebuilders Association $190,000 in a settlement of the lawsuit, which alleged among other things, a misuse of recreation and swimming pool impact fees.  The city had collected $2.9 million to build a recreation and swimming pool facility.  Despite our warnings that the city could be sued, the Council used the impact fees to build a golf clubhouse, golf pro shop, grill and wedding reception center.

“City officials chose to double-down on the ‘golf investment’ gamble, by spending the impact fees for the golf clubhouse,” said citizen group member Curt Crosby.  “We had been promised, and city ordinance required, that this building would be brought to a vote of the citizens.  We didn’t get to vote.  It seems to me that the payoff of the $190,000 settlement, is in essence an admission of some level of guilt that the city didn’t use the money for what it was collected.”

Johnson said, “Should the city still consider finishing the basement?  They would need to use CARE tax money or money that had been set aside for a city building.  My hope is that we could use any additional funds to pay down our debts and not worry about finishing the basement now with a price tag of upwards of $300,000. ”

“Where’s the pool and rec center residents paid for?,” said Ken Cromar, former Councilman and researcher for the citizen’s group, “There is no end to the ‘good’ you can do with other people’s money.”

Prison-bound ex-Cedar Hills mayor says he should have heeded wife

By Dennis Romboy, Deseret News

Published: Tuesday, Nov. 13 2012 5:36 p.m. MST

SALT LAKE CITY — Former Cedar Hills Mayor Eric A. Richardson shared a long, tearful embrace with his wife after a federal judge sentenced him to prison for bank fraud Tuesday.

“The crazy thing is if I’d have listened to her, I wouldn’t be standing here today,” he told U.S. District Court Judge David Nuffer moments earlier.

Richardson, 38, said he didn’t heed the advice of a “dear, sweet, humble housewife” because he thought of himself as the businessman in the house. He ended up falsifying a loan application as part of an equity skimming scheme.

“I am guilty, and that guilt is searing,” he told the judge. “I am responsible for the harm I have done.”

Nuffer ordered Richardson to spend 12 months and one day in prison followed by 36 months probation. The additional day allows him the opportunity to be released early for good behavior. He is scheduled to report to prison Jan. 7.

For complete story…

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865566692/Prison-bound-ex-Cedar-Hills-mayor-says-he-should-have-heeded-wife.html?pg=2

Judge sentences ex-Cedar Hills mayor to a year and a day in prison

Fraud » Eric Richardson ordered to serve a year in loan scam case.

By Tom Harvey | The Salt Lake Tribune

First Published Nov 13 2012 05:20 pm • Last Updated Nov 13 2012 06:36 pm

A federal judge on Tuesday sentenced former Cedar Hills Mayor Eric Richardson to a year and a day in prison on his guilty plea for taking part in what federal agents say was a group of people who committed numerous alleged mortgage and bank frauds.

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/money/55268977-79/richardson-federal-loan-cedar.html.csp

Former Cedar Hills mayor sentenced to 366 days in prison

Daily Herald  – November 14, 2012

Former Cedar Hills mayor Eric Richardson on Tuesday was sentenced to 366 days in federal prison followed by 36 months of supervised release, and ordered to pay $110,000 in restitution.

He will report to prison on Jan. 7, 2013.

http://www.heraldextra.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/former-cedar-hills-mayor-sentenced-to-days-in-prison/article_0a4d1982-2625-5760-9d42-6c2fe7eca3ee.html

Folks are just plain tired of government that divides.  They are tired of government that is nasty with those seeking the truth.  And, they are tired of government that is less than honest with the taxpayers that pay their salaries.

These “Dividers” know the truth, but know that if you did too, your support for them would disappear — hence their nasty “divider” strategy.  Divisiveness is the poison, and Truth is the antidote.  We trust that people are generally intelligent Voters, when they have the facts.  Making Truth available to Cedar Hills residents has been the primary purpose of this website.  

Tomorrow will be a historic national election.  It appears that most folks will be voting for real “hope & change” via new leadership.  It appears that voters are ready to really move “forward” in an open and transparent way, –by peacefully voting out those currently in power.

Americans are tired of government officials who selfishly reward themselves, their friends, family and supporters with taxpayer money, deals and perks — instead of being genuine public servants.  When government intentionally withholds information, manipulates information, and misleads citizens about truth, it eventually catches up with them.  As Clint Eastwood said, “Don’t idolize politicians.  They work for us.”  And, “…When somebody does not do the job, we got to let them go.”  (See Washington Post… http://wapo.st/N2uY6f )

Government is not the solution.  Government is the problem. — Ronald Reagan

But, folks are waking up.  Citizens now have more Truth.  Now, Voters can and will intelligently vote tomorrow for those most likely to protect their long-term interests.  Voters will select candidates who will NOT burden tomorrow’s children and grandchildren, with unnecessary, wasteful spending today.   Tomorrow, November 6th, TRUTH finally catches up with current government.

TRUTH is essential to obtaining and securing good government.  When truth is withheld and manipulated, — contention and poor government reigns.  Cedar Hills has suffered contention for over 10 years.  It’s time to end it.  Truth is the antidote.  Cedar Hills Citizens for Responsible Government will continue to use this website to share TRUTH that has may not be provided to you any other way.

Tomorrow’s election will work to solve the National government concern.  Next year’s Cedar Hills election will address our turbulent, resignation-filled 2012, to see if it’s “business as usual”, or the real “open, honest and transparent” government that they’ve promised.

Cedar Hills (CH) voters will be watching for the eerily similar adventures of the White House (WH) and our community.  For example:

1.   WH – Solyndra-like Investments – Provide $90 Billion in taxpayer dollars for a solar panel business that failed, benefiting friends, family and campaign supporters, on the backs of taxpayers. (See… http://bit.ly/PRMc4j )

CH – Provide $9.3 million in taxpayer dollars — ($6.4 bond for golf course + $2.9 million for golf clubhouse) in behalf of friends, family and campaign supporters giving them cheap or free golf (Council, Staff and former mayor Brad Sears), on the backs of taxpayers.

2.   WH – “Fast & Furious” – Stalling, hiding and deleting public emails, and redacting critical info on illegal activities including supplying guns to Mexican drug cartels, which are used against our border patrol officers. (See…  http://fxn.ws/OlfeML )

CH – Stalling, hiding and deleting public emails, and redacting critical info on from them on alleged illegal activities including an alleged misappropriation of “Rec & Pool” impact fees to instead build a golf clubhouse & wedding reception center*, and not informing citizens or Council about loaning itself $1.8 million to keep golf course open. (See Council minutes & audio…  http://www.cedarhills.org/node/362 )

*Note:  City is currently being sued by Utah Homebuilders Association for misuse of Impact Fees that did not build the Rec and Pool facility for which they were collected, and are negotiating a financial settlement that could likely cost hundreds of thousands of additional taxpayer dollar, making the cost of CH golf course cost even deeper. (See…  http://www.cedarhills.org/node/1538 )

3.    WH  – Benghazi-gate – Withhold critical info about failed Muslim policies until after the election. (See   http://exm.nr/T83M5w )

CH — Clubhouse-gate – Withhold critical info about failed golf course & proposed alcohol sales, until after the election. (See … http://www.cedarhillscitizens.org/secret-email-4-mayor-beer-tavern-license-but-after-the-election/ )

4.   WH – Cover-up of Benghazi – Weekend after 9-11 attacks, sent out the UN Ambassador Rice, to promote false information to the public before the Nov 2012 election. (See USNews … http://nbcnews.to/V0Ejwa )

CH – Cover-up of failed golf financials — In the weeks leading up to the November 2011 election, CH publish and promoted false golf “success” propaganda*, to mislead the public via Sept. 2011 Newsletter and three misinformed candidates which were elected. (See… www.CedarHills.org / September 2011 Newsletter )

*Note:  Also, the City supported candidates and their supporters promoted false info about the opposition candidates, incorrectly claiming an intent to “raise your taxes” and “close the golf course down and turn it to weeds”   (See… http://www.cedarhillscitizens.org/an-open-letter-to-the-gygi-augustus-rees-campaign/ )

The list of similarities between the current WH and CH goes on and on — though the offenders appear blind to it.

It is important to carefully watch how current Cedar Hills officials deal with the Sandy-like storm of newspaper & television reports, the resignations of the Mayor, City Manager, City Recorder (“forced out politically”), City Building Inspector, and more recently the City Finance Director and Golf Club Manager.  Hopefully many more changes are to come.   Cedar Hills Citizens for Responsible Government will soon be offering our recommendations for Solutions and a fresh start for 2013.

In Cedar Hills, residents now have greater access to the truth, thanks in part to this website.  CH residents are now insisting on more open, honest and transparent government.  CH families realize that not only have many residents been misled by key city officials, but so have many unwitting Council members and employees.  So, with truth now exposed via newspapers, television, and this website, please take note of which government officials and employees choose to stand with the Truth and honest service of the taxpayers of Cedar Hills, or those who choose to continue to withhold, manipulate and mislead, and to retain their power and perks.

Time to vote to for real hope and real change, by voting FOR real “open, honest and transparent” government.  Truth ultimately wins over contention every time.

Tomorrow, vote to restore Truthful government nationally in 2012.

Then, vote to restore Truthful government locally in 2013.

From:   Eric Richardson [mailto:e_ric_hardson@yahoo.com]

Sent:   Tuesday, October 11, 2011 3:59 PM

To:   Konrad Hildebrandt

Subject:   Re: FW: Beer Tavern License at the clubhouse

This could be controversial.  I am ok doing it, but not during election season.  I say wait until after the election then we can speak and make sure we are on the same page….

_______

This illegal email was sent by then Mayor Eric Richardson from his personal email account, rather than on his City account, withheld from the public record.  It was discovered in our 6000+ pages of GRAMA requested emails, which were finally received – as required of the City by a Utah State Records Committee ORDER – in the requested electronic (searchable) format on Oct. 12, 2012.

Richardson acknowledged he did not want the “Beer Tavern License at the clubhouse” issue discussed until after the election.   The exact reasons for waiting are not explained in the email.  However, the three Council candidates that Richardson, the entire Council, and some city staff publicly promoted and campaigned in behalf of, did narrowly win their seats at the November election.

Additional emails shed light on the issue:

____________________________

From: Greg Gordon [mailto:ggordon@cedarhills.org]

Sent: Tuesday, November 15, 2011 8:57 AM

To: ‘Konrad Hildebrandt’

Subject: RE: FW: Beer Tavern License at the clubhouse

Konrad,

I thought I’d respond to this now that the elections are over to see if this is something that the mayor/council wants me to pursue. I am good either way, however I do believe that it would bring us a great amount of income. Let me know which way to go.

Greg Gordon

Events/Recreation Center Director

City of Cedar Hills

ggordon@cedarhills.org

(801) 785-9668 ext. 301

__________

Then Mayor Richardson acknowledged understanding of public sentiment against alcohol being sold a their so-called family “rec center”, when he responded:

__________

From: Eric Richardson

To: Konrad Hildebrandt

Subject: Fw: Beer Tavern License at the clubhouse

Date: Thursday, December 29, 2011 12:09:36 PM

I still feel the same I did in November, namely that a single booked event will generate more net revenue than an entire year of beer sales.  Based on the time required to obtain the license and the huge waste of time a public outcry would be, I think we shelve it until EVERYTHING else is in place.  Speaking of which, how are we doing on bookings?

(emphasis in original email – underline emphasis added)

_______

In an online comment posted below a June 23, 2012 Daily Herald news story, “Documents: Cedar Hills considered liquor license for rec-center”, new Councilman Trent Augustus defended the Council, writing in part:

“There was no big conspiracy and these questions weren’t being asked behind closed doors.”

Understandably, he was mistaken.

Yes, we believe the Mayor was right that the “public outcry” would have been real, and may have impacted the election.  Many were misled, including winning candidate Trent Augustus and current Councilmembers.  The citizens voted, but without complete and accurate information.  Cedar Hills Citizens for Responsible Government believes you should have this information “better late than never”.  Hence this “Secret Emails Exposed” continuing series.  Have we had “open, honest and transparent” government in Cedar Hills?  You decide.

For additional support information, please click this PDF…  Secret Email #4 – Beer Tavern License, but after election.Additional documentation

On December 27, 2011, then City Manager Konrad Hildebrandt sent a post-Christmas email to all City Council members asking for their support against a citizen Angela Johnson’s request for documents about his suspicious $9,000 pay raise, and their help to “calm her troubled heart”.  He specifically mentioned his “CC” to Mrs. Johnson, in what some believed an attempt to bully or intimidate her.

Angela Johnson had for months been writing, calling, asking questions of the Council, and GRAMA requesting information about a mysterious $9,000 raise to the City Manager.  This raise was not discussed or voted on in any public meeting.  She shared the email with members of Cedar Hills Citizens for Responsible government.

Upon careful review of Mr. Hildebrandt’s email, it was clear that he had made a huge, unintentional blunder.  He had sent this email to the Mayor and City Council members’ personal email accounts, not their City email accounts.

See “Smoking Gun” email PDF:    Smoking gun – KHildebrandt’s $9,000 pay raise.SecretEmail #3

This email raised many questions.  We realized that there might possibly be many more illegal city business emails exchanges taking on personal accounts without being provided to the City record, as required by State Law.  We were right!

Over 200 days of delay after our original March 5^th GRAMA request, the City of Cedar Hills finally provided 6-7,000 pages/docs, under ORDER of the seven-member Governor Herbert appointed State Records Committee, which required the City to collect the records, most of which had never been provided to City Recorder, and deliver them to Cedar Hills Citizens for Responsible Government.

It was this “smoking gun” email by Hildebrandt that resulted in our now well-known March 5, 2012, GRAMA request for “all emails” between Mayor Eric Richardson, City Manager Konrad Hildebrandt, and the City Council, from “whatever email address”.  (meaning personal and city email accounts)   This will likely be a surprise to the City Council, as they probably had no idea that it was Hildebrandt’s December 27, 2011 email to them that initiated our GRAMA request.

As part of the pay raise related Secret Emails we discovered an October 5, 2011 email from Konrad Hildebrandt to Mayor Eric Richardson and Councilman Jim Perry, wherein he wrote:

“As we all know, Ms. Johnson is definitely a Korihor soldier.”

See attached PDF of the email… “Korihor soldier”.KHildebrandt.SecretEmail #3a

This is disturbing for a number of reasons.

1. Korihor was an anti-Christ in the Book of Mormon who preached against Christ, led “many into wickedness”, was struck dumb, and was trampled to death.   (See Alma 30)  An anti-Christ is someone who fights against Jesus Christ — the author of all truth.
2. Hypocritically, City officials were breaking the law with the illegal emails conspiring & hiding the truth, and were stalling a citizen who was trying to learn the facts.
3. There is no contrary response or correction to the Korihor soldier claim was made by Mayor Richardson or Councilman Perry, that we could find in the follow-up emails exchanges.
4. The City Council promoted and successfully campaigned at last November’s close election for the three new Council members, who had little prior Council attendance experience, if any, and were misinformed by Hildebrandt about the success of city and golf finances, who then as candidates promoted that same misinformation to the public, thus misleading the voters.
5. May 1, 2012, Hildebrandt “resigned” along with the City Building Inspector Brad Kearl and City Recorder Kim Holindrake.  Hildebrandt received a generous severance package of up to 9-months of his princely $155,000+ salary and benefits.

Had the new City Council appropriately fired Hildebrandt “with cause”, he would not have been able to claim a severance package, due to unethical behavior or worse.

Had Hildebrandt’s not informing the Council about the City loaning itself $1.7+ million dollars to keep the golf course afloat (see Nov. 22, 2011 Special City Council Meeting minutes – audio most interesting) been discovered sooner, the reportedly $100,000 in legal fees to defend him, Mayor Richardson, and Council, and deal with our Email GRAMA request, at taxpayer expense, may have been avoided.

Had the City simply obeyed the law, maintained the public record, been honest and open with their public related dialogue and actions, Cedar Hills citizens would have saved approximately $200,000 and all the embarrassing news reports about the numerous shady dealings and questionable actions by City officials in recent years.

Rather than being thanked for helping the City restore the public record, Cedar Hills Citizens for Responsible Government has been ridiculed and maligned by the City for our efforts to seek the truth and share it with you.  We believe that the best way to insure a healthy financial and ethical city government in the future, is to expose the past to the disinfecting sunshine of the attention of Cedar Hills taxpayers.  Correcting the record is an important part of our community’s healing process, and the promotion of intelligent decision-making in the future.  It makes us stronger!

“Open, honest and transparent” Cedar Hills government?  You decide. See support documentation PDF for more details… Smoking Gun – Secret Email Exposed #3 – “Korihor soldier” – support documentation

Be watching for the next “Secret Emails Exposed – #4”, soon to be posted at www.CedarHillsCitizens.org .

Clear the air in Cedar Hills

Sunday, September 30, 2012 – Daily Herald Editorial Staff — In Our Opinion

“The Utah Public Records Committee was wrong when it ruled against Cedar Hills resident Ken Cromar’s request to be reimbursed $766 for city financial documents and e-mails, but not for the regular reason that the cost of voluminous requests should be borne by the requester.    

“It was wrong because disclosure of these documents would, in fact, serve the public interest.

“Among other things, Cromar requested correspondence between two former city officials — disgraced former mayor Eric Richardson, who resigned last summer in the wake of unrelated fraud charges, and former city manager Konrad Hildebrandt, who resigned earlier in the face of mounting questions about the city’s financial books.

“Cromar is part of an activist group calling itself Cedar Hills Citizens for Responsible Government, which fought for the release of public records that would reveal mismanagement of city funds related to golf course financing.  In March, Cromar requested the e-mails and other documents, but the city dug in, demanding payment to cover the costs of retrieval and copying.”

For the complete article see…    http://www.heraldextra.com/news/opinion/editorial/clear-the-air-in-cedar-hills/article_00e18dbe-7da7-557b-9812-bf9e19f418f8.html

Campbell: Cedar Hills case shows scars of fight for open government

By Joel Campbell
Special to The Salt Lake Tribune – First Published Sep 28 2012 06:15 pm • Last Updated Sep 29 2012 12:36 pm

“…Ken Cromar represents Cedar Hills Citizens for Responsible Government.   Cromar could be straight out of central casting, as he has taken on the role of the crusading everyman.  He and his group believe there is something rotten at City Hall.  There’s good reason to suspect something’s fishy.  While the former mayor was cleared in a city audit, he admitted to financial wrongdoing in his personal business.  In addition, questions about the financial health of a controversial golf course and clubhouse come up frequently in conversations.

 
“While city leaders deny anything is wrong at city hall or with the golf course, some still see a black cloud.  The city’s reaction to this GRAMA request has only fueled more suspicions.”

For the complete article see…    http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/54944580-78/cromar-records-government-cedar.html.csp

Why was former Mayor Brad Sears involved in illegal secret Council emails — ironically about an Ethics Bill?

This is the second in a series of postings of secret City Council emails that were illegally withheld from the public record until the Utah State Records Committee ORDERED the City to collect and provide them to us.

In other words, these are communications the Mayor, Council and City Manager did on their personal email accounts, instead of their City email accounts, apparently thinking that would never be seen by Cedar Hills residents.  They were wrong.  Their own email words appear to reveal their real thinking and intent.

Please open the PDF of Email #2 by clicking…  Secret Email #2 Exposed

Secret Email #2 is interesting for at least four reasons:

1. Former Mayor Brad Sears is included in the email exchanges. Mr. Sears was the Mayor who originally promoted a VOTE in favor of the purchase of the golf course with a promise of $150,000 in annual profit, and $400,000 annual profit after ten years.  June 2004, he resigned when the first year’s massive losses were revealed.  Why secretly discuss an Ethics Bill with him?
2. The email chain is incomplete. The email chain ends at the bottom of page 2, with the start of a new email addition.  Clearly there was at least a page 3, and possibly additional pages.   The City Recorder was alerted to this, and the fact that 11 known emails, provided an “inside source”, exposed the City had not delivered all of Mr. Hildebrandt’s emails, despite claiming to have done so.
3. Ironically, the subject is an Ethics Bill – SB180. Please note that then City Manager Konrad Hildebrandt apparently didn’t like the new ethics bill, and wrote, “6.  Why is the bill even being formed?  Can’t the local, elected, jurisdictions govern themselves?!”. Apparently not.  On May 1, the City Manager resigned in disgrace – but, unfortunately with up to 9-months-worth of severance of a golden parachute of his $155,000 annual salary & benefits – with a signed non-disclosure agreement that neither he, nor the City, will comment on each other.  Why?   Who is protecting CH taxpayer dollars?
4. Records withheld because, “privileged, private, or protected information”. Three and half months after asking for the City’s explanation, Deputy Recorder Gretchen Gordon’s July 13 email finally concluded, “Portions of the e-mail in question have been redacted by legal counsel due to privileged, private, or protected information.”

As with Secret Email #1, this Email #2 raises more questions than it answers.

Questions Secret Email #2 raises:

• Why is former Mayor Brad Sears involved in illegal City Council secret email exchanges, ironically about the Feb. 2012, Utah Ethics Bill – SB180?
• Why was former Mayor Brad Sears’ email chain with the City Council cut off short, and declared “privileged, private or protected information”?
• Why is former Mayor Brad Sears still receiving free golf? (Confirmed by former golf course Manager Jim Madsen.)
• Why are the Mayor and City Council given unlimited free golf?
• Why do City employees receive unlimited free golf?
• Why aren’t Cedar Hills citizens, whose tax dollars subsidize all golf course losses, also provided free golf?
• Why did chairman Gary Gygi invite former Mayor Brad Sears to address the first Golf Finance Committee meeting, when in 2001 he misled Cedar Hills residents to Vote in favor of buying a golf course promising to “make $150,000 annual profit”, which instead has cost CH families an average of $550,000+ in annual losses?  (That’s a $700,000 total miscalculation in the wrong direction.)  A reliable advisor?
• Why are so many of our March 5, 2012 GRAMA requested emails been categorized by the City attorney as “privileged, private, or protected information” and hence not provided?

If City leaders don’t have anything to hide, why have they spent tens of thousands our tax dollars in legal fees to hide and withhold as much as possible?

Citizen Action Items: Please contact your City Council and ask them to put a STOP to all free golf, especially for the Mayor, Council, all City employees, and former City officials.  Also, ask your Council if they support the City attorney’s classification to withhold a portion of the Ethics email, and to immediately release the entire email chain please.

Be watching for the next “Secret Emails Exposed #3”, soon to be posted here – www.CedarHillsCitizens.org .

See PDF with support documentation & information…  Secret Email Exposed #2 – Former Mayor Brad Sears & Ethics

This is the first in a series of postings of secret City Council emails that were illegally withheld from the public record.  We believe that as you read the Series installment, you will understand why city leaders tried to keep the exchanges secret.

First an explanation:  Utah State law does not allow for more than two Cedar Hills public official from the City Council (the mayor and five Council) to communicate with each other in person, over the phone, etc., unless the time and date of the meeting is a publicly noticed in advanced.  Doing so creates an “illegal meeting”.

In other words, if two Council members were talking at the grocery store, and a third Councilman walked up, that could be considered an illegal meeting that requires advance public notice.  Why is this the law?  To keep the public’s business out in the open, and avoid secret meetings and decisions without the voters knowing the actions of their elected “servant” employees.

This law was designed to not only protect the citizens from their government, but also to help elected officials and city employees avoid the temptation toward questionable actions and decisions that may occur when done in secret.

Keeping the public’s business “on the record” and available to Cedar Hills voters was at the heart of Cedar Hills Citizens for Responsible Government’s much reported March 5, 2012 GRAMA request.  (GRAMA law is a freedom of information law)

This GRAMA request asked for all emails between then Mayor Eric Richardson, then City Manager Konrad Hildebrandt, and between the rest of the Council.  We had learned that official may have been illegally doing some select city business using their personal email accounts, without providing the email record back to the City Recorder’s office as required by State Code.  This is by definition a “conspiracy”.  Please look it up.

We were right.  What should have taken 10-days, was delayed by the city to over 200+ days.  Finally, on September 12, the night before the second Hearing before the Utah State Records Committee, the City surrendered the last of thousands of pages of previously unavailable emails between the Council, — some of it highly questionable.  Our series “Secret Emails Exposed” — will let you decide.

Here is the first:  Secret Emails Exposed — #1, a November 24, 2011 email we titled, “Throw existing Council under the bus”.  Their words, not ours.

Please read all three PDFs.  The first is an “Email #1 Introduction” by Cedar Hills Citizens for Responsible Government, and two PDFs for pages 1 and 2 of this interesting City email. Click here:   Introduction to Secret Email Exposed #1

&  Email #1 – Rees, Gygi, Augustus email to outgoing Council.page1of2

&  Email #1 – Rees, Gygi, Augustus email to outgoing Council.page 2of2

“Buffalo Chip to Cedar Hills for refusing to reimburse resident Ken Cromar $766 of expenses he incurred as he dragged documents out of city government that had been illegally withheld.  Cromar had to appeal to the Utah State Records Committee to force the city to comply with his open records requests under the state’s GRAMA law.  Government entities should have to shoulder the costs that are unfairly and deliberately shifted to the shoulders of private citizens in an effort to keep damning data secret.”

(Note:  The Daily Herald’s popular “Beehives & Buffalo Chips” series rewards good deeds with Beehives.  The Buffalo Chip award is less desirable.  This September 22, 2012 Buffalo Chip is the third for CH government leaders in recent months.)

City officials thought their emails, hidden on personal email accounts, would never be seen by Cedar Hills taxpayers. They were wrong.  State law requires all city business email, from whatever source, be provided to the City Recorder’s office.  Former elected City Councilman Ken Cromar (1994 to 2000) has served as an official researcher for Cedar Hills Citizens for Responsible Government’s efforts to shed light on questionable financial and ethical actions, as a service to our community.

Now that the City has finally provided the damning emails, as compelled by the Utah State Records Committee ORDER, and as the thousands of pages are reviewed, we will post a series of articles, using the City Council, Mayor and leadership’s own words, from their own emails.

We can’t have a better future for our CH, if we don’t first learn from our past.

We have been ridiculed, stalled and maligned by CH government leadership for our efforts to get this information to you.  Their efforts to do so says much more about them, than it does about us, as the emails will prove.  So, finally, after over 200+ days of delay (10-days is the legal limit), Cedar Hills families will finally be able to learn here what has been going on behind the scenes, and decide for themselves the truth.

Please share this website with all your CH friends and neighbors.

Congrats to the Cedar Hills residents!   It required taking the City to the Records Committee, but finally we have been given “all” the email docs GRAMA requested March 5, 2012.   Last evening, at 7:00 p.m, city attorney Eric Johnson delivered the “final” box — 17.2 pounds of paper.  It is clear that it took today’s Utah State Record Hearing to “inspire” the City’s compliance with their ORDER to provide the emails.  That’s a win!

The down-side was not getting the $700 refund or the sanctions against the City for being late 40+ days past what we thought was supposed to be a 30-day deadline.  The Committee seemed sympathetic to us, but due to the nuanced wording in the law, the Committee didn’t feel they could prove “willful” delay, and hence they didn’t think they could impose the sanctions.

We will begin a thorough review the thousands of pages of emails and post our findings here in a series.

In the meanwhile, you may want to read Jerry Dearinger’s (our retired attorney and legal adviser) amazing defense of Cedar Hills Citizens for Responsible Government, and our efforts to get the Truth out to our Cedar Hills neighbors.  In part he wrote:

“The information to be obtained upon compliance with this GRAMA request is anxiously awaited by a goodly number of our citizens, including me, and is of significant public benefit.  Hopefully it will help to calm the concerns and suspicions of many citizens regarding the actions of our public officials…”.

To read his complete letter, click this PDF...   Utah State Records Hearing – Dearinger Letter