MODESTO — The Stanislaus Council of Governments’ policy board placed its executive director on paid administrative leave Monday night after a civil grand jury report accused her of spending public money on lavish hotels, first-class airfare, and exorbitant car rentals, as well as creating a chaotic work environment.

Stockton resident Rosa De Leon Park, who was not called out by name in the grand jury report but has served as the StanCOG executive director since 2015, will continue to draw her salary while the policy board digs into the allegations.

“I was in favor of paid administrative because I believe everyone deserves a chance,” said Stanislaus County Supervisor Vito Chiesa (District 2), who represents Turlock and serves on the 16-member policy board that held a special meeting Monday. “We’re thankful to the grand jury, but there hasn’t yet been a full investigation. These are serious allegations, and once we’ve conducted our own internal investigation, based on that outcome, I’ll make my decision.”

Stanislaus County Supervisor Channce Condit (District 5), who represents Newman and serves on the 16-member policy board that held a special meeting Monday, was one of five to vote against placing Park on paid leave during a three-hour, closed-session meeting.

“I want to be crystal clear why I did that,” said Condit. “I did not support the paid administrative leave of $25,000 per month for the (executive director), which is her monthly salary, so I voted no. I was in favor of a non-paid administrative leave, but that measure failed.”

Also voting no were supervisors Terry Withrow (District 3) and Mani Grewal (District 4), Patterson City Councilmember Carlos Roque, and Oakdale City Councilmember Kayleigh Gilbert, and all echoed sentiments similar to Condit.

Park attended the meeting. She didn’t speak publicly but her attorney issued a statement on her behalf.

“Ms. De Leon Park was disappointed to read the many inaccuracies and misrepresentations contained in the civil grand jury’s report, particularly after she and her staff worked cooperatively and collaboratively with the grand jury to provide voluminous and accurate documentation responsive to their inquiries,” Kevin J. Rooney said. “Ms. De Leon Park is also disappointed with the board’s action and looks forward to the results of an independent and unbiased review of the claims made in the grand jury’s report.”

Elisabeth Hahn, StanCOG’s deputy executive director of planning, will replace Park on an interim basis.

In the report released Thursday, Park is alleged to have spent $100,000 on rental cars in a three-year span, driving 7,000 miles in a single month — “more than the distance from San Francisco to New York City and back,” the report said.

In one instance, Park chose to fly from Sacramento to a conference in Monterey, with a layover in Los Angeles.

“The drive would have been faster, especially since the taxpayers were already paying for the rental of a 2022 Mercedes-Benz GLC300,” the grand jury reported.

Park’s government-issued credit card was used to book stays at Ritz-Carlton hotels seven times in Washington D.C., three times in Chicago, twice in Southern California, and once in Atlanta, totaling more than $33,000 over 39 nights.

At a February 2024 conference in the nation’s capital, hotel rates were $309 per night at the Hyatt Capitol Hill, which hosted the event, compared to the Ritz-Carlton’s rate of $600 per night.

Park is also said to have regularly flown first class and upgraded tickets for certain members of the policy board.

Additionally, during a seven-month period, $10,000 in expenses — 62 separate transactions — were charged to Park’s official credit card with no receipts submitted, the report stated.

The grand jury’s report made several recommendations, including abolishing Park’s position, hiring a director of financial services, adding the county’s auditor-controller to its operations, closer oversight of expenditures, and better record keeping.

In salary and benefits, Park earns more than $484,000 annually. That’s about $85,000 more than the San Joaquin Council of Governments’ executive director ($399,194), about $140,000 more than the executive director in Sacramento County, nearly $200,000 more than Fresno County’s, and over $200,000 more than executive directors in Merced, Kern, and Tulare counties, according to the report.

Of those counties, Stanislaus has the smallest staff size (14), one-fourth the size of Sacramento (61).

Former employees were interviewed about Park’s workplace demeanor, and complaints included: humiliating staffers during meetings, name-calling, and divulging protected information from employee personnel files. Some staffers admitted to crying inside and outside the office, having nightmares, and seeking therapy and medication, all unique to their tenure with StanCOG.

The investigation started with a citizen complaint in 2024. 

Last week, StanCOG’s board called for a workforce investigation and an independent forensic audit, implementation of a strict fiscal accountability framework, re-evaluation of the policy board’s oversight responsibilities, a review of executive management, and the creation of an ad hoc committee to oversee the workforce investigation and forensic audit.

Supervisor Buck Condit (District 1), the board policy chairman, announced that Newman Mayor Casey Graham has been named the chair of the ad hoc. He’ll be joined on the body by Waterford Mayor Charlie Goeken, Withrow, Grewal, Withrow, and Turlock City Councilmember Ericka Phillips.

“I think it’s a good group that is going to get some answers,” Condit said Friday. “These allegations trouble us deeply, but we want to verify that these things occurred and that we have the correct information so we can earn back the trust of the community and taxpayers.”

Established in 1971, StanCOG is a council of city and county governments, comprising Turlock, Ceres, Hughson, Modesto, Newman, Oakdale, Patterson, Riverbank, Waterford, and Stanislaus County to address regional transportation issues.

“Once an ineffective body, under (Park’s) leadership StanCOG has been recognized not only statewide, but also nationally for the pivotal role it has played in the county and region,” Rooney said. “Indeed, just last Thursday, the California Transportation Commission awarded StanCOG $85 million for three critical projects in Stanislaus County.”

The three projects are the Highway 132 West Project ($67 million), the Seventh Street Bridge Replacement Project ($15 million), and the Church Street Mobility Enhancement Project ($3 million).

To view the entire grand jury report, visit www.stanislaus.courts.ca.gov/divisions/grand-jury/final-reports and click on the link for the 2024-25 final report.