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Uploaded: Thursday, February 12, 2009, 1:32 PM
Fed probe into forged utilities tests may broaden
Palo Alto Utilities Department target of investigation into falsified documents
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by Gennady Sheyner
Palo Alto Online Staff
A federal Department of Transportation investigation into the Palo Alto Utilities Department for possible fraud could have a wider scope than the internal investigation the city conducted last year, City Manager James Keene said Thursday.
Keene said the city had already investigated a complaint made last year by a former employee, who said he was asked to forge answers on written tests employees are required to pass to get certified for installing gas pipelines.
But Keene said it's not clear whether the federal agents are looking into the same allegation, or if their investigation is focusing on other issues within the department's pipeline operations.
What is clear, however, is that the federal investigation, much like the internal one, is focusing on qualifications of workers operating water and gas pipelines.
Keene said he learned about the federal investigation last Friday, when agents seized seven boxes of records from the Municipal Services Center. The search warrant, issued by Judge Richard Seeborg, was issued to obtain "evidence, fruits and instrumentalities of crime."
The warrant specifically focused on "records relating to a written qualification program," "records relating to pipeline operator qualifications" and "the written and oral examinations taken by each employee/contractor."
But federal agents would not specify exactly what the scope of their investigation is, Keene said.
"One of the difficulties, when you're dealing with a federal investigation, is they keep things very much under wraps and don't necessarily reveal to us all of the details," Keene said.
While Keene said he wasn't sure what triggered the federal investigation, the Palo Alto Daily News reported that a former employee complained to federal government officials about how he was told to falsify federal re-certification forms for 30 employees. He was reportedly the same employee whose allegations triggered the city's internal investigation.
The internal investigation was concluded roughly four to six months ago. Keene said the department's investigation did not uncover any improprieties.
"The complaint was that there's been forged answers on the written test," Keene said. "When the department looked at the data it looked like it didn't happen."
Keene said the city attorney's office has offered to cooperate with the department and to release records if subpoenas are issued.
Keene noted that workers are required to take both written and field tests before they're certified. The field tests do not appear to be the subject of the investigation, he said.
A spokeswoman for the Department of Transportation's Inspector General Office in Washington, D.C. said she is unable to disclose "what may or may not be investigated."
City Attorney Gary Baum told the Weekly he wasn't aware of an investigation into the issue in 2006, if one occurred. He was first alerted in June or July 2008, when a reporter called him and said he'd received allegations regarding falsification of documents in the Utilities Department.
Baum then contacted Fong, who said she would investigate the claim.
"Val and two of her managers looked over the tests and didn't find anything," Baum said. "But they're not forgery experts."
Related stories:
• Feds seize 7 boxes of Palo Alto Utilities records
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Posted by rates, a resident of the Fairmeadow neighborhood, on Feb 12, 2009 at 1:45 pm Hmmm, unqualified people working in Utilities charging residents rates way above market prices for natural gas. If they lied about their qualifications to run utilities, I wonder what else they're lying about.
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Posted by Thomas, a resident of another community, on Feb 12, 2009 at 1:47 pm Yet another Palo Alto investigation! When will these end?
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Posted by Resident, a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood, on Feb 12, 2009 at 2:09 pm Fireman? He has been suspiciously quiet lately.
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Posted by Walter_E_Wallis, a resident of the Midtown neighborhood, on Feb 12, 2009 at 2:23 pm
Walter_E_Wallis is a member (registered user) of Palo Alto Online I believe it is time for a Grand Jury to look into Palo Alto management practices and oversight. There might even be a startled chicken in it - A Pullet Surprise.
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Posted by Resident, a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood, on Feb 12, 2009 at 4:20 pm Walter, love it.
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Posted by brian wilson, a resident of the Midtown neighborhood, on Feb 12, 2009 at 4:52 pm City leaders put a spin that this investigation is all because of a "disgruntled employee". Never mind that Director Fong's story has changed three seperate times in three days. Seems Palo Alto Daily has bought into the city's spin, hence, the headline. Instead of distinguising the informant as only a former employee, The Daily continues to spew the city's line. The Feds chose to investigate on the former employee's credible evidence because it had been confirmed. Hopefully the Feds will be able to eliminate the deep seated negative element within this department. Maybe instead of trying to protect fellow management employees, we will finally get a manager who is able to bring unity with honesty.
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Posted by Don't-Bother, a resident of the Meadow Park neighborhood, on Feb 12, 2009 at 5:07 pm > I believe it is time for a Grand Jury to look into
> Palo Alto management practices and oversight.
The Grand Jury will not touch any request for an investigation of the Palo Alto Utility.
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Posted by Don't-Bother, a resident of the Adobe-Meadows neighborhood, on Feb 12, 2009 at 5:12 pm > Disgruntled city worker triggered federal probe
Amazing .. a worker is asked to break the law, goes to the Federal Government because he has been ignored by Utility Management (and possibly fired for his troubles), and the Weekly claims "he's disgruntled"? Who says? The Editor of the Weekly? Valerie Fong?
The Weekly is clearly judging this fellow without talking to him, or reading anything that he has to say about the matter.
Certainly doesn't pay to take your story of City of Palo Alto fraud and malfeasance to the Weekly--because no matter what name you have on your driver's license, you're just another "disgruntled worker" to these hacks.
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Posted by jim, a resident of another community, on Feb 12, 2009 at 6:49 pm he was fired for a personal DUI let the investigation
proceed before you show your ignorance too early
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Posted by Another Former Employee, a resident of the The Greenhouse neighborhood, on Feb 12, 2009 at 8:41 pm Let's Broaden this Investigation even more! Ask the Fleet Manager about Licenses to Operate Heavy Equipment this would include Heavy Truck and Earth Moving Equipment. Oh and let's see faulsifying BIT inspections and Equipment inspection forms. Including Emergeny Apparattus. KL YOURE UNDER INVESTIGATION TOO!
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Posted by Longtime Res, a resident of the Midtown neighborhood, on Feb 12, 2009 at 9:11 pm Go Feds! Sure there is plenty more corruption around. Wouldn't even mind them taking over the utility ... so prices could be regulated by SOMEONE instead of just having them raised with every whim and need to sponsor yet another politically correct , but perhaps unsound or not carefully thought out, project.
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Posted by Walter_E_Wallis, a resident of the Midtown neighborhood, on Feb 13, 2009 at 5:39 am
Walter_E_Wallis is a member (registered user) of Palo Alto Online The crooked politician steals enough to live high and buy reelection - the idealist politician steals your individual choice. I don't know the pressures in PA gas mains, but just the line pack can incinerate everything within hundreds of feet from a leak. If the local Good Old Boy network won't examine our practices, perhaps the Feds will. Negatory on nationalization, good buddy.
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Posted by stretch, a resident of another community, on Feb 13, 2009 at 5:06 pm Walter, I used to fix leaks in Palo Alto gas mains - not high PSI like PG&E transmission lines. What the heck is a line pack? Gas leaks don't incinerate, unless there's a source of ignition. Has to be between 4 and 14% gas. Y'all better hope that those guys are qualified to work with the stuff, though.
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Posted by mhardi01, a resident of the Downtown North neighborhood, on Feb 13, 2009 at 9:20 pm What a bunch of scammers. Forging documents, Skimming money to the city rather than lowering rates (Web Link) and this whole PA Green racket is just a way to get a higher rate by exploiting enviromental symapthies. Would be interesting to see what a private utility would bid to run it.
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Posted by Walter_E_Wallis, a resident of the Midtown neighborhood, on Feb 14, 2009 at 8:21 am
Walter_E_Wallis is a member (registered user) of Palo Alto Online Line pack, as any pipeline worker should know, is the residual gas contained in a pipeline after valves are closed, gas that will continue to escape until all gone. At some time while dissipating from 100%, a cloud of NG will pass through the explosive range. Ignition sources are, alas, all too common to discount. While utility management's heads are collectively in the sky pursuing the council's dreams of glory, the plant beneath us is rotting. I had hopes that, after the glamor boy left a real Professional Engineer would straighten things out. Ms. Fong, I want my flowers back.
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Posted by A Forner Employee, a resident of the The Greenhouse neighborhood, on Feb 19, 2009 at 6:54 pm Hopefully people will see that these people that have come forward are true heroes that care about the people that they were hired to protect and serve. It's too bad that persons that complain to City Management are Terminated for bringing to lite what the belive is wrong.
I was one such person, I tried to bring up up several major problems as well as others and like others before me I was forced out. My hope now is the people that are in control of this beautiful City are held accountable.
Dedicated to all that have tried to blow the whistle.
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Posted by fireman, a resident of another community, on Feb 20, 2009 at 7:05 am Former Employee, I know how you feel, We must stand together.
Contact the Grand JURY. Lets get together all of us.
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Posted by brian wilson, a resident of the Midtown neighborhood, on Feb 24, 2009 at 5:03 pm Notice Director Fong no longer making statements regarding the investigation. City Attorney Baum is now in charge of press releases. No sign of the City Manager on this investigation.
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