Wieder Appointment Issues

* I have read with growing dismay your articles and editorials attacking Supervisor Harriett M. Wieder over her approval of a board of directors appointment offered to a member of her staff.

I am that staff member, and I am writing to set the record straight regarding the circumstances of her approval of my request.

Those circumstances of approval were conditioned with her requirement that it not interfere with my county job duties and that, most importantly, it not present a conflict of interest.

If there is blame to be placed for any of this, it is mine.

I now realize that at the time I briefly discussed the offer to serve with her, I was remiss by not discussing more fully any information related to the company with her. It was not that I purposely withheld information, it was simply that I didn’t fully know or understand all of the corporate information regarding this company.

It was my lack of full information, no matter the reason, that created the situation.

Had Supervisor Wieder had all the subsequent information, her rightful concerns regarding any perception of a conflict of interest by any member of her staff would have been immediately apparent.

As for myself, once I had a clearer understanding of both the company and the role of the board, I resigned from it and have had no further contact.

I hope that this will help to clarify this issue for all concerned.

SANDRA WARD

Santa Ana