A Sacramento city councilwoman said Sacramento’s municipal government has “gone wrong.” A second councilwoman blamed high-level city staff. And a councilman suggested that the city consider setting up a whistleblower hotline.

During an intense meeting Tuesday night, the Sacramento City Council grappled with an investigation involving the city’s community development department.

Council members wrestled with findings from an investigation into the department’s approval last year of 35 permits in a Natomas flood zone. The investigation was carried out by City Attorney Eileen Teichert’s office and a third-party law firm, Renee Sloan Holtzman Sakai.

In a recent report, the offices of the city attorney and city manager note that the department broke federal rules by approving the permits.

The report also points out several new issues with the building services division of the department. The issues include “potential quid pro quo,” “demolition without CEQA review,” “non-compliance with city’s planning requirements” and “non-compliance with fee-deferral program.”

The City Council unanimously decided Tuesday to move quickly to hire an external auditor to investigate the department.

“This council needs to find out what has gone wrong with city government, and we need to fix it,” Councilwoman Sandy Sheedy said.

Councilwoman Lauren Hammond blamed the department’s management.

“The problem is the management of the department,” she said.

Councilman Kevin McCarty raised the idea of a whisteblower hotline for the city.

Courtney McAlister, an attorney for K. Hovnanian Homes, the company that received the 35 permits, said there was no “quid pro quo” involving the company and the city. Assistant City Manager John Dangberg made the same comment.

Photo by Anthony Bento.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.