Building Supply Probe Expanded in Lawndale

The investigation of a former Lawndale maintenance supervisor who allegedly charged the city for building supplies he used for private remodeling projects has been expanded to include other city workers, according to the district attorney’s office.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Herb Lapin, who has been supervising the 16-month investigation of former Maintenance Supervisor Floyd (Bud) Marez, said interviews with city employees have produced other suspects in the case.

Lapin declined to name the new suspects or to say how many were involved but said he expects the investigation to be completed as early as next week.

The criminal investigation, which began in August, 1988, initially focused on Marez and his alleged use of city-purchased materials on private projects. Later that month, Marez, a supervisor in Lawndale’s Municipal Services Department, was fired, and a co-worker, Thomas Gomez, resigned after the allegations were raised.

City officials said two other employees--whose names were not disclosed--were also disciplined for taking part in the alleged theft of city building supplies.

In a letter asking the district attorney’s office to investigate the allegations, City Atty. David J. Aleshire said the scandal involved two construction projects in Norwalk that were undertaken by Marez.

In an interview with The Times, one homeowner said she saw workers in Lawndale’s orange and brown city uniforms delivering building supplies to her home during normal working hours.

Gary McDonald, who was then chairman of the Planning Commission, brought the allegations to the city’s attention. He told reporters that he found city records that indicated that Marez and Gomez used city charge accounts to pay for supplies, including two skylights and a large quantity of wire mesh used for stuccoing. Such materials are not normally used by the city, McDonald said.