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Mary Jo Walker, Santa Cruz County auditor-controller

EDITOR,

I wanted to correct some information in a letter to the editor regarding the Valley Women’s Club on April 4. That letter presented facts and figures that were misleading at best.

The Santa Cruz County Department of Public Works contracts with the VWC to run the recycling program at the Ben Lomond Transfer Station, as well as three recycling drop-off points in Felton, Ben Lomond and Boulder Creek. This is a fee-for-services contract, just like contracts the county has with other nonprofit entities for such things as senior services, health care and youth programs. The county has a similar contract with the Grey Bears for recycling in South County. Your readers may not know that the entire recycling area adjacent to the south wall of the building just before customers enter the Transfer Station building is managed by the VWC.

The county has a goal of zero waste going into the landfill and certainly does not want all the bottles, cans, motor oil, plastic,  paper, scrap metal and other recyclables going into the landfill. If the county did not hire the VWC to provide these services, it would hire another vendor, possibly for more money. Although the VWC is a nonprofit, an environmentally sensitive operation like a large-scale recycling program still costs money to move the materials and hire staff with technical, logistical and management skills. 

Please recycle — it’s good for the bottle, it’s good for the can.  And it’s good for the county.

Mary Jo Walker, Santa Cruz County auditor-controller

Comments (3)

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written by Andrea Sanchez, May 12, 2008

Well, bravo to the county for funding recycling, bravo for those aspects of Valley Womens Club activities that are honest and helpful. But a close look at the activities and financial shenanigans of those ladies would be an interesting story. Interesting, but sad.

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written by Andrea Sanchez, May 13, 2008

And, yes, a scam.

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written by Paul Storm, May 15, 2008

Ms. Walker might be more credible if she disclosed her close ties with Mark Stone and the Valley Women's Club (VWC). She was first appointed Auditor by Mark Stone. She was also the recipient of the VWCs Hammer-Marcum award in 2007. To say she is cozy with all the participants in the Recycling center deals is an understatement. More importantly, as Auditor, she has responsibility for oversight on how these "sweetheart" deals were done. The "scam" part is that these six-figure-annually deals are not put out for competitive bidding. The VWC supports Mark Stone and Mary Jo Walker, Mark Stone and Mary Jo Walker give the VWC access to the public coffers.

As Auditor, Ms. Walker is responsible for this lack of competitive bidding. She isn't just defending the VWC and Mark Stone, she is covering her own culpability in these deals.

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