Having Ben Harvey On Staff Is Expensive!

So who/what could be the root cause of all the litigation?

Harvey honk

The city attorney’s office currently operates with an annual budget of $688,800 — of which it has expended $403,000 through Jan. 13 of this year. In fiscal year 2023-24, the city attorney’s budget was $398,180. In 2024-25, it was raised to $625,000 and again increased in April of that year by an additional $520,000.

Ojai City Manager Benjamin Harvey clarified at a Jan. 29 meeting of the city’s Finance & Budget Committee that rising legal costs were largely related to a number of pending litigation proceedings and that the city was presently working with as many as six law firms on a litany of unspecified issues.

Having Ben Harvey On Staff Is Expensive!

  • Ojai Valley News

Ben Harvey Keeps On Racking Up Complaints At New Job

Charming, just charming. Sorry not sorry Ojai.

Harvey honk

Ben Harvey resigned from his Pacific Grove post in July 2023 after the city council voted 6-0 to 0K a separation agreement with him. Harvey later took on the same
role with the City of Ojai. However, in the past month or so, three former Ojai workers filed complaints against the Ventura County city.In a July 15 government claim, former
finance director Pamela Greer said that in early 2024, about a month after Harvey began working for the city, he requested to be reimbursed for unspecified expenses.
When Greer asked to see his employment agreement to confirm the expenses were authorized, she claims Harvey said, “Why can’t you just process the reimbursement?”
Greer, who is seeking at least $ I million in damages, accuses Harvey of disrespecting “basic financial procedures from the start,” and says he and others engaged in illegal activity, including paying vendors based on estimates rather than invoices, carrying over unspent funds from one fiscal year to the next, misusing grant funds, and requesting that she advise Harvey on his personal taxes.
Greer claims Harvey and other city offcials fired her in March for reporting the alleged wrongdoing. She said Harvey also informed the city council that he found $8 million missing in the city’s budget, “casting aspersions of financial fraud and lack of transparency on Greer and the previous city administration.”

Ben Harvey Keeps On Racking Up Complaints At New Job

How Ben Harvey “Finds $8 Million Dollars” Sure.

Click the picture for the pdf of the claim filed

Ben Harvey “Finds $8 Million Dollars”

A few months after he started, Harvey told City Councilmembers that he had “found $8 million” that had been missing in the City’s budget, thereby casting aspersions of financial fraud and lack of transparency on Claimant and the previous City administration. He would periodically repeat this falsehood over the next months. Harvey’s allegation was a complete fabrication, without any foundation whatsoever, as there was no way to just “find $8 million” in the City coffers. Even if a mayor, City manager, finance director or someone else had, somehow—for some reason, concealed the funds, outside auditors regularly audited City accounts and would have certainly noticed $8 million of unaccounted-for City funds.Harvey would also often mention his “$8 million of found money” in City Management meetings (with all department heads). Claimant was surprised to hear that and asked Harvey where he found the money so she could correct any classification errors per GASB 54 reporting of fund balance requirements.In response, Harvey would ignore her request—and he would remain silent—until someone would break the awkwardness caused by his silence. Soon, when the issue came up again and Claimant asked about it, Harvey and the Public Works director, Lindy Palmer (“Palmer”), noticeably exchanged smirks and rolled their eyes. Soon, other senior City staff, to curry favor with them, joined in the mockery.

Ojai’s Ben Harvey Is In Legal Trouble Already

over ordering a “hush money” severance package deal.

And possible unprofessionalism for expense reimbursements.

In February 2024, in response to Harvey’s request for reimbursement of expenses, Claimant asked to see his signed employment agreement to confirm that the expenses were authorized by his contract. Harvey asked Claimant, “Why can’t you just process the reimbursement?” At first, Claimant thought Harvey was joking and explained that City policy required supporting documentation to justify any payment to employees beyond their regular paycheck. She soon realized, however, that she was dealing with a different kind of city manager,

Click to download entire pdf
Ojai finance director seeks $1M,

Ojai’s Ben Harvey Is In Legal Trouble Already
Ojai Valley News

Ben Harvey Takes Job In Ojai

Sounds like a demotion but hey, it’s closer to Long Beach.

Young And Sick - Ojai

Young & Sick

Harvey’s base salary will be $250,000 a year. If Harvey moves to Ojai or within a 10- mile radius, the city will reimburse his moving and relocation expenses. If he requires temporary rental housing before purchasing a home, he will receive a housing allowance of up to $5,000 per month for up to six months beginning Feb. 1.

Ben Harvey Takes Job In Ojai