An investigation into the operations of Stockton’s new public relations office found that no laws or city policies were violated by its quiet creation, but a new report paints the process as chaotic.
After questions were raised last year around the formation of the Public Transparency, Information and Communication office, or OPTIC — including allegations of budgetary fraud against then-interim City Manager Steve Colangelo tied to its creation — an outside law firm was brought in to investigate.
OPTIC was created in response to the 2023-24 San Joaquin Civil Grand Jury report, “Crisis in Government,” which called for greater transparency in Stockton. It was formed with money from the city manager’s office that previously had been used for the Office of Performance and Data Analytics, according to OPTIC chief and city spokesperson Tony Mannor…