Better think twice, Turlock, about disgraced Stanislaus CEO running your City Hall
The Turlock City Council should take a long, hard look at the ridicule they would invite by hiring former Stanislaus County Chief Executive Officer Reagan Wilson as their city manager.
Nothing about Wilson resigning in disgrace from the county’s top appointed job in 2003 shows up on the agenda for Tuesday’s Turlock council meeting, or in supporting documents. The agenda simply notes his “30-year career” in “various leadership positions” and says that Wilson “distinguished himself as the leading candidate” in the current recruitment.
The agenda says nothing about the $230,000 of public money Wilson blew through in personal travel charges in six years, living large at our expense.
It says nothing about Wilson misusing taxpayer money staying in luxury hotels in San Francisco, Washington, D.C. and New York City.
It mentions nothing about Wilson, who turns 72 Wednesday, using public funds to buy himself and his companion massages and pedicures back then, or giving a $100 tip at a Monterey restaurant.
It says nothing about Wilson lying in a Modesto City Council meeting in an effort to hide his business relationship with the county’s waste management consultant.
It doesn’t mention The Modesto Bee’s investigation that uncovered Wilson’s highly unethical, self-indulgent behavior.
The Turlock agenda fails to note that the county deducted $20,120 from Wilson’s final paycheck because of numerous disallowed purchases.
It doesn’t say that the county also confiscated items from Wilson worth about $4,000, including furniture, computers and a digital camera.
Is Turlock this desperate?
Turlock’s Tuesday agenda does say, “the city is excited for the City Council to appoint Mr. Wilson as the next city manager.”
For a base annual salary of $197,640.
Yes, Turlock badly needs a city manager, having run through six (including interim and acting) in less than three years. But is City Hall this desperate?
People can reform. But some misdeeds disqualify one from serving again in a position of trust as the top appointed official in a government agency, a post demanding integrity.
Among those misdeeds is corrupt abuse of taxpayer money to treat oneself like a king.
BEHIND THE STORY
MOREWhat are editorials, and who writes them?
Editorials represent the collective opinion of the The Modesto Bee Editorial Board. They do not reflect the individual opinions of board members, or the views of Bee reporters in the news division. Bee reporters do not participate in editorial board deliberations or weigh in on board decisions.
The board includes McClatchy Central Valley Executive Editor Don Blount, Senior Editor Carlos Virgen, Opinions Editor Juan Esparza Loera and California Opinion Editor Marcos Breton.
We base our opinions on reporting by our colleagues in the news section, and our own reporting and interviews. Our members observe public meetings, call people and follow-up on story ideas from readers just as news reporters do. Unlike reporters, we share our judgments and state what we think should happen based on our knowledge.
Read more by clicking the arrow in the upper right.
Tell us what you think
You may or may not agree with our perspective. We believe disagreement is healthy and necessary for a functioning democracy. If you would like to share your own views on issues or events important to the Modesto region, you may write a letter to the editor (200 words or less) using this form, or email to letters@modbee.com.
Support The Modesto Bee
These conversations are important for our community. Keep the conversation going by supporting The Modesto Bee. Subscribe here.
This story was originally published February 7, 2022 at 11:45 AM.