-
If you want breaking news sent to your email just click here.More >> If you want breaking news sent to your email just click here.More >>
SALINAS, Calif.- Prosecutors said he brought in to "seal the deal" and trips were taken to San Francisco and Washington DC, all to lobby for the water project. Now the Monterey County District Attorney's office is going through thousands of documents for the first time. This case surrounds the man some claim is the "fall guy" for the botched regional desal water project-all of this threatening the water supply on the Monterey Peninsula.
We have all new information on the former Monterey County Water Resources board member, Steve Collins accused of having a conflict of interest. On Tuesday, hours worth of evidence was presented to the judge by the prosecution at the Monterey County Courthouse. We sat in through most of it and want to highlight some key points for you.
The first witness was called to the stand. Monterey County investigator Tracy Spencer was examined and cross-examined all day long over the evidence she uncovered during her investigation into the criminal conflict of interest charges against Steve Collins. The charges stem from his time working as a public official on the regional desal project, but also having a contract with the company who was ultimately hired to run the project.
The prosecution went through emails, recordings from county board of supervisor meetings where the project was discussed and showed Collins was paid by RMC Water and Environment-which was reimbursed by Marina Coast Water District, which was then in turn reimbursed by CalAm.
The prosecution and the defense wouldn't comment on the case. Collins' defense attorney argued his client was mislead by county attorney's as to the risk he was taking, to work on the board and for RMC at the same time. The case will be back in court on Thursday where they expect to call more witnesses and explore more evidence. It could take quite awhile for the judge to decide if this will go to trial just because of the mounds of evidence, in huge binders.
So what's next for the desal project, since after all, CalAm needs a plan before 2017 to reduce the amount of water it pumps from the Carmel River? Right now, they have a three pronged approach moving forward, that is not without conflict. The county is suing CalAm, for not having a public component to the project. There are still two different desal projects being pushed to cities on the Monterey Peninsula.
