By Sahra Susman, Daily Bulletin (CA)

February 8, 2007

The Jurupa Community Services District turned over documents to the Riverside County grand jury pertaining to the agency's 2006 sale of its Limonite property to Calvert Properties.

In September, JCSD sold a 3.3-acre parcel to Rep. Ken Calvert, R-Riverside and his associates for $1.2 million.

Originally the property was given to the district by Sky Country developer Lou Laramore in 1976 in lieu of land annexation fees.

With the formation of the Jurupa Area Parks and Recreation District in 1984, all park land was handed over to the new district from JCSD with the exception of that property. Although still contentious, the district has dismissed allegations that the land was deeded to them for park purposes only.

Requested documents by the grand jury include copies of appraisals, with names and addresses of firms conducting the appraisals; a detail of who paid for the appraisals pertaining to the sale of real estate on Limonite and Etiwanda avenues to Calvert Properties; copies of purchase and sales agreements, including the escrow closing statistics for the real estate; and the procedural documentation followed by the JCSD in an effort to comply.

JCSD General Manager Eldon Horst said he complied with the request by the grand jury for documents and notified the board of directors.

"I believe that this request for documents is a way for (the grand jury) to follow up to get responses that I didn't have in the Jan. 11 informational meeting."

On Jan. 11 Horst notified the board that he had been visited by the grand jury for an informational meeting. Horst said the jury questioned transactions that had taken place at the agency prior to the Horst's November appointment as general manager for the district.

Former general manager Carol McGreevy was removed from her position in September after the district made several missteps under her management, including one that resulted in a fine by the state.

"My expectation is that the findings that the grand jury develops would be provided to myself or the board, with the intention for us to make improvements and we will," Horst said.

Board President Ken McLaughlin said that he welcomed the inquiry and that the district had complied with the request.

McLaughlin also said that the sooner the issue was publicly aired, the sooner the district could move forward.

Board member Paul Hamrick said he didn't feel the request was anything out of the ordinary, but rather the district was just supplying information.