A state lawmaker on Wednesday, March 1, called for the resignation of embattled Orange County Power Authority Executive Director Brian Probolsky, who was accused by state auditors of circumventing procurement policies in connection with $1.8 million in marketing and financial services contracts.
Sen. Dave Min, D-Irvine, said the scathing audit released Tuesday raises serious questions of potential fraud, self-dealing and corporate malfeasance within the OCPA, especially by Probolsky.
“I am calling for the immediate resignation of Mr. Probolsky, and if he does not step down, I would urge the board of directors at OCPA to fire him,” Min said in a statement.
Min also urged the OCPA board to immediately authorize an outside independent investigation into Probolsky’s activities, including his hiring and any connections to the companies whose contracts were scrutinized by state auditors.
Probolsky declined to comment Wednesday on whether he will resign.
Fullerton Mayor Fred Jung, who currently serves as chair of the OCPA board, could not be reached for comment regarding whether any action will be taken against Probolsky.
OCPA officials have said auditors didn’t fully understand the legal intricacies of contracts approved by its board.
The OCPA launched as a green alternative to Southern California Edison nearly a year ago, with the city of Irvine spearheading its creation. Fullerton, Huntington Beach and Buena Park also signed on early to the county’s first community choice energy program. The agency also had been contracted to serve unincorporated communities of Orange County, but the Board of Supervisors decided in December to leave the program.
Three previous independent audits — including one from an Orange County grand jury — have raised questions about OCPA’s management, public communications and pricing strategies.
The audit released this week follows an emergency audit request last year from Min and fellow state Sens. Thomas J. Umberg,…
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