EDITORIAL

The clock is ticking.

It’s been about six weeks since Fountain Valley Councilman Chuck

Conlosh wrote an open letter to the community alleging wrongdoing by

high-level city officials.

It’s also been three weeks since Conlosh, who is up for reelection in

November, told the Independent that he needed more time -- roughly two to

three weeks -- to compile more information about the supposed

malfeasance.

In August, Conlosh’s open letter appeared in a flier distributed by

the Concerned Citizens of Fountain Valley, a new community watchdog

group. In it, he accuses his colleagues of failing to lift the ban on

changeable signs favored by churches, threatening the freedom of people

to park their cars in their driveways and not their garages, and denying

residents direct access to council members during meetings by making them

address the council as a whole rather than as individuals.

Those charges certainly don’t climb to the level of “wrongdoing by

high-level officials.”

Mayor Guy Carrozzo has rebutted Conlosh’s claims, saying they are

“irresponsible” and that “some people are very adept at manipulating

information, thus creating a smoke screen to conceal their own personal,

hidden agendas.”

But Conlosh said he has been “misrepresented” and still wants to get

to the truth behind the claims.

Yet the clock is still ticking. Residents and council members have

pleaded with Conlosh for more information about the claims against the

high-level officials. Even Councilman Larry Crandall suggested that

Conlosh bring in the district attorney to investigate them if necessary.

Conlosh has remained silent.

With the general election a little more than a month off, it’s time

for Conlosh to come forward with solid and concrete proof that his

colleagues have performed wrongdoing.

If he can’t do that, then he has only one other path to take.

He should apologize to his council colleagues and the residents of

Fountain Valley for making up unsubstantiated claims in the first place.

And while he’s at it, he should give us all an explanation.