I shot off a question to Ironhouse Sanitary District General Manager Tom Williams asking about September stipends for any Director who may have claimed the Oakley City Council and the EC² The Collaborative from Sept. 27 on their time sheet. I was curious on the EC² The Collaborative because Mr. Williams thought it was somehow a good investment for $1,200 of ratepayer money to be spent sponsoring an out of District event for the Antioch Chamber of Commerce.
This was his response:
“Mike, Doug Hardcastle claimed one meeting (one stipend) for attending multiple meetings (EC2 meeting/City Council) in September. No other Directors attended the EC2 event. Have a nice weekend, Tom.
Unfilled with the answer because I said it was vague, I shot back asking which meeting did he claim? City council or EC² ?
His response was this:
“He combined multiple meetings into one claim, one $170 stipend. Sorry, it’s Friday and I’m already late to meet the wife for dinner. I’m signing off.” Tom
While I can appreciate him making one claim, no claim should have been filed as he is running for Oakley City Council and Ironhouse was not on any of the September agenda’s. If he is a candidate for Council, he should show up anyway.
The EC2 event is unclear why he would even make this claim considering he used it as a campaign move after he made a post about the event on his Hardcastle campaign Facebook page. So was he a Director or candidate? That remains unclear. The smell test is simple, it was an event hosted by the Antioch Chamber of Commerce and he could have just watched it on TV a few weeks later and cost ratepayers nothing.
What Hardcastle needs to realize is once he decided to run for Oakley City Council, those stipends for City Council meetings needed to stop along with anything else where campaigning could occur. There is a fine line that I believe is being crossed.
Ironhouse Management should have known better than to allow the claim to go forward considering Hardcastle is a candidate. Had their been $0 claimed, I’d be writing an applaud piece towards him because he wouldn’t have crossed an ethical line.
East County Today 
A bit ticky tack Burk? Even for you! He claimed multiple meetings under one stipend. Isn’t that what you have been preaching all along with this stuff? He could have claimed $340 if you really wantd him to.
Its not ticky tack, Hardcastle should not have made any claim if these were his two “meetings”. Absent from the claim is his Ironhouse Board meeting. Burk made a very valid point that we appear to be paying him for non-ironhouse meetings.
Management should just say no!
It appears to me Mr. Williams does not want to be very straight forward, it wasn’t that difficult of a question. I agree with Mike, he should not have claimed anything if these were his only two meetings listed. I’d love to see the Time Sheet.
The EC2 event may have been sponsored by the Antioch Chamber of Commerce and held in Antioch, but it was for all of East County (thus the EC in the title). It’s good for the communities and agencies of East County to coordinate on attracting employers to our region, because no matter where they locate, they will benefit the residents of the region who can work there. Cities, of course do compete for retailers and the resultant sales tax revenue. If an employer locates in the Ironhouse District, it will require services of the district. So what if the event is located outside of the district? Is there a location within the district that can hold as many as 350 people for a sit-down meal and conference? I don’t think so.
If this is true, who else attended? Did 350 people attend? I fail to see any direct nexus that benefits ironhouse.
@Reader… Ironhouse had a good pitch. Come to Oakley so you can pay a fees for our service.
Truth is, City of Oakley should be the ones trying to recruit business, not Ironhouse.
My point exactly.
Disregard anything Payton says.
Payment should not have been made for him to go to council meetings while campaigning.
Clearly Mr. Williams needs to go also. Clean house!
Allen Payton is a known criminal by many, taking advice with him ensures your own defeat. Of course Allen will want to a special district to participate, free money to Antioch Chamber!
Watch the personal insults, I am all for discussing Mr. Paytons support of the event, but claiming is a known criminal is going a bit far. Knock it off.
Mr. Burk,
I completely see your point and I agree with you. Mr Hardcastle is wrong to take the stipends running for an office that would conflict with receiving those stipends. The Grand Jury should investigate Ironhouse and send the results to the Sheriff.
Millie
Millie, I think you should write a Letter to Editor stating Doug Hardcaslte and others should refund money!
Someone ate a heaping bowl of “crazy”! Wow.