Last year, Stockton City Council members asked city officials to hire consultants to investigate Stockton’s finances, including the skyrocketing costs of building New City Hall and the city’s spending of sales taxes voters approved to strengthen public safety.
But former interim City Manager Steve Colangelo and then-Deputy City Manager Rosemary Rivas hired the consultants through a contract that should have been approved by the City Council, city business officials told the City Council’s audit committee this week.
“Should this have come to council?” Vice Mayor Jason Lee, who leads the committee, asked Stephennie Link, Stockton’s acting procurement chief, in the near-empty City Council chamber Tuesday…