Full Coverage: City of Industry audit

The City of Industry appointed a new interim city manager Thursday to replace Kevin Radecki, who stepped down earlier this week after publicly expressing his concern that he might be fired by the newly elected council majority.

In the weeks leading up to the City of Industry’s first election in nearly two decades, City Manager Kevin Radecki candidly expressed his fear of what would befall him if three candidates backed by former Mayor David Perez were elected: He would lose his job.

In one of its first official acts, the City of Industry’s new city council on Tuesday called for a special meeting to discuss firing the city attorney who spearheaded a lawsuit against the powerful Perez family and its businesses.

The City of Industry’s first City Council election in nearly two decades has empowered three new council members with ties to the influential Perez family, whose multimillion-dollar business contracts with the city have come under intense scrutiny.

Since the City of Industry was incorporated in 1957, the industrial suburb of 2,500 businesses and about 400 residents has been controlled by a small group of financially connected families.

With just days to go before ballots are counted, even the most keen-eyed visitor would be hard-pressed to know that the City of Industry is holding its first council election in 17 years.

The City of Industry has filed suit against former Mayor David Perez, his companies and four members of his family, alleging the misappropriation of millions of dollars in public funds through false or inflated invoices and the performance of unauthorized work on city contracts.

The house on Vineland Avenue in the City of Industry was old and forlorn-looking, with some of its windows boarded up.

California State Controller Betty T.

California State Controller Betty T.

Los Angeles County supervisors voted Tuesday to call for an investigation into possible corruption in the embattled City of Industry, including any dealings officials there might have had with surrounding cities.

The Los Angeles County district attorney’s office has opened an investigation into the financial dealings between the City of Industry and companies controlled by a former mayor and his relatives, officials said.

Four years ago, the City of Industry bought a collection of decrepit parcels along the San Gabriel River 20 miles away, with visions of transforming it into a recreational area for camping, hiking and picnics.

City of Industry officials are seeking to renegotiate or possibly cancel a lucrative trash contract with a company headed by former Mayor Dave Perez as they scrutinize years of business deals that benefited him and his relatives.

Two Los Angeles County supervisors demanded Tuesday that a grand jury investigate allegations that companies owned by the former mayor of the City of Industry and his family gained more than $326 million through a host of city contracts.

A 20-year jackpot of City of Industry contracts that included $4.9 million for lawn mower rentals and street cleaning fees billed at six times a competitor’s rate has enriched a handful of companies owned by the tiny town’s former mayor and his family by more than $326 million, an audit has found.