[Updated]: Councilwoman's Backers Say FPPC Complaint Is Meant to 'Crucify' Her

Updated at 11:30 a.m. June 17 with further reaction from Clint Worthington.

Those working alongside City Councilwoman Laura Freese to plan celebrations commemorating the town's 50th birthday say a recent complaint lodged for her involvement with the anniversary committee is merely an unfounded political maneuver to give her critic an edge in the 2012 election.

Indignation against her and Sam Allevato, whose term also ends in December 2012, often fly from the lectern in City Hall from a small group of residents who don't agree with many of the decisions made by the council. Among them is Clint Worthington; he has previously taken issue with the fact that she—albeit unpaid—sat on the Ecology Center’s board of directors. The center is a nonprofit that got breaks on its rent at the city-owned Congdon House on Alipaz Street.

On June 7, Worthington filed a complaint with the Fair Political Practices Commission, accusing her of violating the state's conflict-of-interest code for voting to "receive and file" ledgers listing about $1,500 in payments made by the celebration committee to .

"This was very difficult for me to do, while I may disagree with Laura, I would consider her a friend and she is also a neighbor of mine," said Worthington.  "Laura did have a simple choice to have the item placed back on the agenda and re-voted on recusing herself at that time. Unfortunately, she chose not to do this."

Although because, she says, there may be a perception of a conflict of interest, she has said she acted within the purview of the law—a contention affirmed by the city attorney.

"It's not like she's approving the payments, because the payments have already been made," City Attorney Omar Sandoval said last week. "It would be different if she had voted to approve something."

Worthington ran for election in 2010, when there were three open seats on the council. He hit the campaign trail with two other residents: Jim Reardon and Derek Reeve, the only one of the trio to actually get enough votes for a seat on the dais.

About a year prior to the election, resident and Cultural Heritage Commissioner Jan Siegel formed the 50th Anniversary Celebration Committee to raise funds for a year's worth of events in 2011. Siegel said she invited Freese to join her—along with other movers and shakers she trusted—to  help garner enough donations to fund the various events in store.

Although it is not a city-sanctioned committee, as are those bodies that make regular recommendations to the City Council, it does use the city's nonprofit status. A report from city staffers to the council in January 2010 explains that in order for the donations to the celebration to be tax-deductible, the city will deposit the money in a city account and pay for costs identified by the committee.

"The committee has been an open book," said Siegel. The FPPC filing "is unconscionable. ... They're trying to crucify Laura."

Worthington alleges that when Freese voted to receive and file the records showing that payments were made, she not only violated conflict-of-interest laws, but also cheated taxpayers out of the funds that would directly benefit the city.

"The committee raised income from selling City allotted banner space and brick placement (on Taxpayer owned property) to go to this committee instead of the City's general fund," Worthington wrote in an e-mail. "So, in essence, the taxpayers lost out on the opportunity to have this fundraising go towards decreasing the City's debt."

But Freese and other committee members contend they're just working hard to plan events that will foster a sense of community and honor the town's history. Freese said the committee is saving the public money by doing the fundraising leg itself, without exhausting city coffers.

Freese also said she saved the committee money by getting promotional materials printed cheaper through her company; however, she said the committee will use a different company now. 

Within 14 days of receiving a complaint, the FPPC will tell the filer how it intends to proceed. A complaint found to merit a full investigation is assigned to an attorney or an investigator and/or an accounting specialist.

Freese said she has not yet been contacted by the FPPC.