General (10)
Susana Barrios
From:Stephanie Mercadante <burglin.stephanie@gmail.com>
Sent:Tuesday, June 9, 2026 6:41 PM
To:Public Comment
Subject:\[EXTERNAL\] On Behalf of Jeanine Robbins, District 2, Councilmember Carlos Leon
Warning: This email originated from outside the City of Anaheim. Do not click links or open
attachments unless you recognize the sender and are expecting the message.
For public comment on June 09, 2026:
Two weeks ago, the LA Times released an article that the Anaheim Chamber of Commerce filed a
lawsuit against its former CEO, Todd Ament, alleging self-dealing, kickbacks, bribery, and influence
peddling.
What stood out to me was not just the lawsuit itself.
It was the Chamber's statement.
The Chamber stated it wanted accountability.
The Chamber stated it intended to hold individuals responsible for misconduct.
The Chamber stated that corruption would not be tolerated in Anaheim.
That's a remarkable statement because many residents have been asking a simple question:
Why does the Chamber seem more interested in accountability than City Hall?
Residents have spent months asking questions about drinking water issues, Well 51, PFAS
contamination, brown drinking water, excessive flushing, retaliation against employees who raised
concerns, management decisions, and the lack of transparency surrounding those events.
Instead of answers, residents have received presentations.
Instead of accountability, managers have been reassigned and, in some instances, these managers
have claimed to receive a pay raise.
Instead of investigations, we hear talking points.
Instead of transparency, we get photo opportunities and public relations campaigns telling us
everything is fine.
The Chamber says misconduct should be investigated.
Residents agree.
The Chamber says people should be held accountable.
Residents agree.
1
The Chamber says corruption and unethical conduct should not be tolerated in Anaheim.
Residents agree.
So why does that standard appear to apply everywhere except inside City Hall?
Why are residents still waiting for answers regarding Well 51 and the reported 74-day delay in
shutting the well down after PFAS levels requiring action were identified?
Why are residents still waiting for answers regarding the brown drinking water that occurred in
Anaheim Hills?
Why are residents still waiting for answers regarding the extensive flushing activities that reportedly
occurred throughout the system following those events?
Why are residents still waiting for answers regarding retaliation and harassment directed toward
employees who raised concerns about water quality, operational decisions, and public safety?
And why are residents still waiting for answers regarding reports that crews were directed to perform
excavation work without proper DigAlert notifications, without adequately locating underground
utilities, and without following safety practices designed to protect employees, residents, and critical
infrastructure?
These are not minor issues. They involve public safety, employee safety, drinking water quality, and
the City's responsibility to protect both residents and workers.
At some point, Anaheim must decide whether accountability is a slogan or a principle.
Because residents are tired of watching scandals managed instead of investigated.
We are tired of watching problems rebranded instead of resolved.
And we are tired of being told to trust a process that never seems to hold management accountable.
If the Chamber of Commerce can publicly demand accountability, surely Anaheim City Hall can take
some lessons and do the same.
2