129 Page Report: Falsified Reports and Embezzlement By Berry

The San Bernardino Sentinel lengthy article on the alleged accusations of Embezzlement against Steve Berry the Acting City Manager of Grand Terrace is an interesting addition to the history of his employment. The article details the existence of a 129 page report compiled by the Sheriffs Department which concludes that Berry falsified Government Reports on Court Ordered Performance of Community Service by an individual who was used to put Tint on City Owned Buildings and allegedly Berry’s Personal Auto.

Berry’s Defense to the entire issue was, hey I wasn’t fired, and the tint on my car is a different color than that on the windows, and I have a Charge Receipt for the tint. Berry made no effort to address the issues of falsifying Government Documents, no bid contracts with an individual doing court ordered community service, and an unlicenced business.

Interesting that the City Council Members who were allegedly informed about the transgressions did not at the time terminate Mr. Berry and demand the Crime be brought to the District Attorney as a demonstrating that all Citizens and Public Officials are equal under the laws and enforcement in Grand Terrace. City Managers, Assistant City Managers and City Council Member and their Friends are not above the law or are they.

Steve Berry suggests they are above the law because to pursue a case against any of them would embarrass the City of Grand Terrace. The suggestion that the Stature of any of the individuals is so closely linked with the City of Grand Terrace that they should be indemnified from prosecution is kind of like Nixon and now Cheney saying “IF the President Does it It is not Illegal”.

The lack of sending the matter to the District Attorney raises the question of collusion to hide or cover-up a criminal act. The Investigator and the Detective sending a report to the City of Grand Terrace City Council violated their duty. The possible reason for this could have been to “Protect” their 3 Million a year contract with the city, or perhaps have an advantage over the Council and City Management during Contract Negotiations.

The City Manager being informed of the reports content and the City Council at the time should have deferred the Report to the District Attorney. But it apparently was just kept in a file, no action taken until apparently Steve Berry has become unwanted in the City Hall, the information about him trickles out, drip by drip.

How can there be a charge receipt and the tint job on his car still be embezzlement? Have you ever charged an item and then later returned it or had the charge removed from your bill for one reason or another. Often you are left with the original charge receipt. A charge receipt is not proof that something was paid for. Second, the cost of the tint material may be what the receipt is for and the labor may have been done by the convict doing community service. That issue is yet to be resolved by Berry. That is why there is a court. This is not the function of the City Council and should not have been brought to them.

The use of bad business practices and no bid contracts was and is a situation established and maintained by City Manager Tom Schwab. Berry just fell into to the same practice and this may be the reason that at the time Tom Schwab did not want the case to go to court as it would show how bad the business practices are at the City of Grand Terrace. It would be nice if this had been done, a lot of money has passed under the bridge between then and now.

The wine used at a private party, allegedly was donated to the City for their Private Gala that Cost the Citizens a significant amount of money. Was this donation tax deductable? Was a receipt and value indicated as a record? What was the fair market value of the wine at retail prices? Did Berry Pay less than that retail price? Why if there were surplus the normal way to dispose of surplus government property including wine is to have a public auction. Perhaps this could be a feature at GT DAYS an auction of City Surplus, even coat hangers are tax payer’s property.

Now we have evidence that the Sheriff Department and Probation Department, the then City Council Members, City Manager Tom Schwab, Assistant City Manager(Acting City Manager), other City Officials including one would assume the City Attorney, and the Maintenance Crew Leaders knew of the investigation, and the criminal activity alleged in the 129 page report. They all conspired to withhold the information from the public and the District Attorney’s Office. This could be called an act of Organized Crime or Collusion to Aid and Abet after the fact.

Every drip of mud slung on Steve Berry’s past splatters back on to the City Manager who was his Management, and the City Council that continued his employment time after time. Now we add to the co conspirators the Sheriff Department’s Detective Morris and the related staff that each should have blown the whistle and brought this report to the hands of the District Attorney or some higher authority to place it into the Court System Appropriately.

This is an example of Government Criminal Activity at the Grass Roots Level. It needs to be cleaned up by the State or Federal prosecutors if the County Can't take care of it.

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