The Orange County District Attorney’s Office has closed its investigation of Seal Beach City Manager Jill Ingram’s 2014 trip to Alaska with Diane Ripley, a consultant to the city.
“Based on the investigation, it has been determined that there is no cirminal conduct which can be proven beyond ar reasonable doubt in a court of law,” wrote Deputy District Attorney Angela Hong in an Aug. 27 letter.
The letter was addressed to Seal Beach resident Dr. Robert Goldberg, who first questioned Ingram’s relationship with Ripley at a City Council meeting in January.
Ripley has multiple consulting contracts with the city. Ingram’s critics have accused her of failing to disclose her friendship with Ripley. Defenders point out that Ingram paid her own way on the Alaska trip and that the friendship between the two women developed after Ripley was hired as a city consultant. Ripley’s consulting services to Seal Beach include petroleum consulting, public relations and business recruiting.
In February, Seal Beach Police Chief Joe Stilinovich confirmed that he had referred the complaint of a citizen, who Stilinovich did not identify by name, to the DA’s Office. At the time, Stilinovich said he didn’t not investigate city employees and added that it would be inappropriate for him to investigate his boss.
The Sun will update this story as it develops.
