Three target lawyer

NEWPORT BEACH — Residents who are worried about drug recovery homes went public this week with allegations that a former city attorney had a conflict of interest on the issue in 2004.

Three people told the City Council on Tuesday they believe Bob Burnham, who retired in August 2004 after more than 20 years as Newport Beach city attorney, may have had a conflict when he advised the council on rehab facilities because his wife worked for drug courts.

Residents have long complained of noise, litter, and more severe problems like crime and drug use that they say have come to their neighborhoods as drug recovery homes move in.

At Burnham’s advice, the council in 2004 made changes to the zoning code that city officials said would tighten regulations on the homes.

Resident Bob Rush, who is a member of an ad hoc committee on rehab homes, told the council he may have found a “potential serious conflict of interest,” referring to Burnham and his wife’s work for the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence of Orange County.

Rush said Burnham accepted grant funds from the city of Santa Ana on behalf of the drug council, and the then-city attorney never listed the possible conflict on state-required disclosure forms.

“On its face the appearance is not good,” Rush said. “The transfers of money in the matter, along with the knowledge of city officials, and what appears to be a coordinated effort to conceal the overall situation from the public is troubling to say the least.”

Reached Wednesday, Burnham said his wife began working for the drug dependence council in 2003, but he doesn’t see any conflict in it.

“They do not operate, own or even get into the issue of recovery homes,” he said. “They’re in the business of education.”

Burnham said he did accept grant funds in Santa Ana, but the money is to provide services exclusively to Santa Ana residents — not people in Newport Beach. The money goes largely to pay for transportation vouchers and dental services for drug court clients, he said.

“I think the misunderstanding … is that she [my wife] somehow works with sober living facilities and group homes,” Burnham said. “She really works with the drug courts.”

Resident Mary Bryant told the council she and her husband sent the city a letter last week on the same issue and have not received a response, and Deborah Calvert said she brought up concerns about a possible conflict more than two years ago.

City Atty. Robin Clauson told them any complaints should be directed to the state Fair Political Practices Commission, which rules on conflict of interest issues.

Mayor Steve Rosansky said Wednesday people have raised the issue to him before, and he has spoken to Burnham about it.

“At this point I don’t think there was a conflict,” Rosansky said. “The bottom line is, we’re not the arbiters of it — the FPPC [Fair Political Practices Commission] is.”