BY EMILY MIBACH
Daily Post Staff Writer
San Carlos Mayor Bob Grassilli has decided the city will not pay $15,000 for an ethics investigation into councilmen Ron Collins and Mark Olbert following complaints about their conduct at a meeting where the council voted to pass a moratorium on gun stores.
Grassilli said he reviewed the complaints against Collins and Olbert and came to the conclusion that they do not “reach the threshold of an ethics violation.”
Councilman Matt Grocott and several residents filed ethics complaints against the two councilmen following a Nov. 13 council meeting that drew a standing-room-only crowd at City Hall.
Council voted 4-1 to impose a 45-day moratorium to stop a Southern California gun-store chain, Turner’s Outdoorsman, from opening a location at 1123 Industrial Road, near REI.
Some residents who attended or later viewed the recording of the meeting said they were offended by Olbert’s “hell yes” vote on the moratorium, and that Olbert and Collins high-fived following the vote. Olbert said on Monday he sincerely apologizes to anyone who was offended or put off by him celebrating the passing of the moratorium.
Others complained about comments that Collins made about Grocott on Facebook in 2014.
They also expressed concerns about Olbert talking about Grocott in emails to residents. In Grocott’s complaint, he said Olbert’s emails to residents were offensive and “needlessly harmful to my 16-year reputation as a member of the San Carlos City Council.”
Olbert’s emails comment on Grocott’s politics and the way he expresses himself while speaking during council meetings. Grocott made a request to all council members, asking them not to make any comments about their colleagues when acting in their official capacities.
He also suggested that if residents have issues with council members, they should speak to them directly.
