Anti-Regency Activist Files Complaint Against Councilmember

The man who sued  the city last year to block the controversial Target project near the Fairgrounds has filed a complaint against Petaluma's newest council member, saying his vote on a technical aspect of the approved project was a violation of the California Fair Political Practices Commission.

Paul Francis, a vocal opponent of the Target development, a project of the Regency company and which is set to break ground this spring, filed the complaint with the FPPC February 8. In it, Francis alleges that Councilman Chris Albertson violated FPPC regulations by not recusing himself from a vote to swap a small strip of land owned by Regency for a roadway owned by the city at a January 3 meeting.

The reason, says Francis, is Albertson is a retired Petaluma fire chief who receives a pension from the California Public Employees Retirement System, CalPERS, which since 2005 has been involved in developing commercial properties for profit with Regency, he said.

“In a city like Petaluma, whose residents want sustainable growth policies implemented, we feel it is our responsibility as active members of our community to not tolerate this type of irresponsible conduct by our elected officials," Francis said. "We hope the FPPC will agree and come to the determination that council member Albertson did indeed violate the rules.”

The FPPC regulates campaign financing and spending, financial conflicts of interest among other issues.

Reached on Thursday, Albertson, who served as Petaluma Fire Chief from 2001 to 2008, said he hadn't even heard of the complaint, but said Francis was entitled to do as he saw fit.

"On receiving the complaint and giving it the review it deserves, I am sure the FPPC will state that the claim has no merit," Albertson said in an email.

In his complaint, Francis said Albertson violated two government codes: not disclosing that he could financially gain from decisions made on the project and using his official position to sway or influence a governmental decision.

The Target project was approved in February 2010--long before Anderson was elected to council. But Francis says he should still not have any say on a project from which he could potentially benefit.

Following the council's approval of Regency, Francis filed a lawsuit against the city, claiming the Target project did not follow the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), while Regency filed a suit to protest what they called unjust delays.

Both lawsuits were dropped in June after the two sides came to an agreement and Regency paid $100,000 to a coalition of neighborhood groups, including Petaluma Community Coalition, of which Francis is one of two members.

Regency also paid the city $82,000 for legal fees as part of the deal, but the process alienated Francis, in part because he has not yet announced what he would do with the money.