Brett Barbre
What of the OC Sports Hall of Fame?
With all the deserved commotion about the unfinished Brandman report, let’s recall this isn’t the first time former Clerk-Recorder, now first-term Assemblyman and still a Democrat Tom Daly pushed a lucrative no-bid contract to a political crony.
First reported by the Friends of Fullerton Future, and later named as their Top Boondoggle of 2010, Daly as
County Clerk-Recorder paid a campaign supporter named Brett Barbre $48,000 to “study” an OC Sports Hall of Fame. Forget the fact that this has nothing to do with Daly’s job, or that Barbre was nothing other than a cash conduit. Just remember that the guy didn’t do anything. As Daly succinctly put it: Barbre was paid for ideas not long reports, and of course Daly got neither. Too bad it was our money. Oh, yeah -the media snoozed.
The Register later picked up on the story: When brainstorming costs nearly $50,0000 (that’s not a typo, it was Jennifer Muir’s headline — her math’s off by $2,0000). Muir is now Nick Berardino’s #2 at the OCEA.
Tony Bushala and the FFFF initially reported:
Has there been fiscal misfeasance by Tom Daly at the County Clerk/Recorder’s office? As we previously indicated, here, OC Clerk Recorder paid self-styled public relations “consultant” and Municipal Water Board member Brett Barbre tens of thousands of dollars in 2008 and 2009 to assist in the creation of some sort of OC sports “hall of fame.” A public records search has turned up invoices from Barbre to Tom Daly’s department for almost $50,000, with almost nothing to show for it. Interestingly, as early as March, 2009 Barbre, who is a Republican, made himself conspicuous as an endorser of Daly in his now defunct campaign for 4th District County Supervisor.
Our friend Allan Bartlett also found evidence that Barbre had been a contributor to Daly, so the quid pro quo was on. Like Brandman, Barbre’s consulting work is replete with big raises and deadline extensions. And like Brandman, it’s not clear he ever finished the $50k effort.
Barbre has two important jobs as a member of the OC Municipal Water Board: Vice Chair of the Finance and Insurance Committee, and ironically, Member of the Audit and Ethics Committee. He took some time off last year to very unsuccessfully manage Troy Edgar’s campaign for the 72nd Assembly District which lost to a political newcomer by 11 points. We understand he’s still owed money for his efforts, as are others.
We recall there was supposed to be an investigation into Barbre’s “work” for the Clerk-Recorder and his big payday, but we haven’t got sources and resources like the Voice of OC — we hope they might followup on this — since the Register hasn’t.
It seems likely that Tom Daly had some political favors to pay back. Brandman, Barbre. And we’re only up to the “B’s”?
Didn’t he hire some of his associates for regular jobs at that agency?
The BOS will get more of the same if they appoint someone with political baggage to that post, rather than someone without political debts to pay.