More on CH2M Hill ...

From SanDiegoReader.com

Twice burned, never shy

'San Diego's District Three city councilwoman Toni Atkins, who's up for reelection this year, has been picking up some interesting campaign money from out-of-town contributors.

Particularly noteworthy: a series of at least nine $100 checks booked by her campaign on the same date -- November 20 of last year -- from various employees of CH2M Hill, a big multinational civil engineering and construction-management firm based in Englewood, Colorado.

According to its website and city records, the firm has done millions of dollars of business with the city, including work on the controversial North City Water Reclamation Plant.

This isn't the first time Atkins has collected multiple donations from a group of out-of-towners associated with the same special interest. Back in August 2000, the then-council candidate was the beneficiary of a wine-and-cheese fundraising reception thrown in her honor by attorneys Lou Wolfsheimer and Jim Milch, then lobbyists for the California Cabaret Association, which represented San Diego's strip-club owners, including Mike Galardi of Cheetahs. At the Atkins fundraiser, the attorneys reportedly handed over envelopes stuffed with bundles of checks. Campaign-disclosure statements later revealed Atkins had picked up at least $3500 from various members of the strip-club industry, some of whom were only later identified as such. She was quizzed by federal agents last year but escaped indictment in the Cheetahs city-council bribery case.

Under city law, campaign contributions are limited to individuals only; reimbursement by employers is illegal.

Reached by phone this week, two of the CH2M employees who contributed to Atkins were not especially eager to talk. Kathy Freas of Citrus Heights, a suburb of Sacramento, listed on the Atkins disclosure as "SW Water Technical Leader," denied she had been reimbursed for her contribution but refused to discuss her association with Atkins: "I don't care to continue this discussion." Margaret Ibison of Englewood, Colorado, listed as "SW Business Development Manager" for CH2M, also denied being reimbursed. Before hanging up, she added, "I am not going to answer any other questions."'

Published on January 29, 2004

See: http://www.sdreader.com/php/cityshow.php?id=SH012904