Official facing drug charges resigns,
leaves tiny valley town in cul-de-sac
Sac Bee Excloo
OROVILLE 9/19/02 (YSN) -- A case of alleged drug manufacturing involving a disgraced elected official, the daughter of a sitting judge and a man with whom she is said to be "romantically linked" surfaced in Butte Superior Court Thursday.
Former Biggs Vice Mayor Timothy Wayne Bradford, 47, waived his right to a preliminary hearing into charges of manufacturing methamphetamine and possessing both the drug and the chemicals needed to make it .
Visiting Judge Richard Freeborn ordered him to return to court Nov. 7 for further proceedings. The judge also directed two other defendants in the case -- Greggary Scott Taylor, 42, and Tracy Diane Patrick, 31 -- to come back the same day for their own preliminary hearing.
Taylor was arrested July 23 when Butte County narcotics agents swooped down on the Oroville he shared with Patrick and seized evidence prosecutors claim shows that meth was being made there.
Patrick -- the daughter of Butte County Superior Court Judge Willaim Patrick -- turned herself in to the court on Aug. 1, as law enforcement agents arrested Bradford at his home in Biggs the same day. All three face similar charges.
Bradford's attorney, Roberto Marquez, said his client, Taylor and Patrick were "long time friends" and described Patrick and Taylor as being "romantically linked."
Because Bradford and Patrick were well known to courthouse officials, superior court judges recused themselves en masse and, in the interests of fairness, Butte County District Attorney Mike Ramsey turned the case over to prosecutors in the state Attorney General's Office.
Meanwhile, Bradford's surprise arrest rocked the tiny town of Biggs, which lies off Highway 99 midway between Yuba City and Chico. Bradford's predicament and demands that he resign or be recalled thereafter dominated debate at ensuing city council meetings.
"We were all absolutely horrified. Being a drug addict is one thing, but manufacturing drugs is something else altogether," said Irene Graham, a former chairman of the town planning commission.
"We were sucker punched," said Mayor Sharleta Callaway, who with others asked Bradford to resign his $300 a month position, post haste.
He did, effective last Monday -- and that action put the town of 1,756 residents in an unaexpected procedural cul-de-sac.
It seems two people have already resigned form the Biggs City Council and Bradford's departure leaves only two elected members on the panel. Absent a majority of elected members, state law bars the council from appointing someojne to fill Bradford's vacant seat, City Administrator Karin Helvey said.
Four candidates are running in the Nov. 7 election for three open seats on the Biggs City Council. Unfortunately, Bradford's seat isn't one of them. His term does not end until 2004, Helvey said
"Now we have to wait until after January when the new council members take office. Then we'll have to decide whether to call a special election or wait until the regular election in November (2004)," Callaway said.
Biggs's annual budget last year was $2 million.
"I don't know what a special election costs, but it's a lot. Personally, I hope they'll wait for the regular election," Callaway said.
leaves tiny valley town in cul-de-sac
Sac Bee Excloo
OROVILLE 9/19/02 (YSN) -- A case of alleged drug manufacturing involving a disgraced elected official, the daughter of a sitting judge and a man with whom she is said to be "romantically linked" surfaced in Butte Superior Court Thursday.
Former Biggs Vice Mayor Timothy Wayne Bradford, 47, waived his right to a preliminary hearing into charges of manufacturing methamphetamine and possessing both the drug and the chemicals needed to make it .
Visiting Judge Richard Freeborn ordered him to return to court Nov. 7 for further proceedings. The judge also directed two other defendants in the case -- Greggary Scott Taylor, 42, and Tracy Diane Patrick, 31 -- to come back the same day for their own preliminary hearing.
Taylor was arrested July 23 when Butte County narcotics agents swooped down on the Oroville he shared with Patrick and seized evidence prosecutors claim shows that meth was being made there.
Patrick -- the daughter of Butte County Superior Court Judge Willaim Patrick -- turned herself in to the court on Aug. 1, as law enforcement agents arrested Bradford at his home in Biggs the same day. All three face similar charges.
Bradford's attorney, Roberto Marquez, said his client, Taylor and Patrick were "long time friends" and described Patrick and Taylor as being "romantically linked."
Because Bradford and Patrick were well known to courthouse officials, superior court judges recused themselves en masse and, in the interests of fairness, Butte County District Attorney Mike Ramsey turned the case over to prosecutors in the state Attorney General's Office.
Meanwhile, Bradford's surprise arrest rocked the tiny town of Biggs, which lies off Highway 99 midway between Yuba City and Chico. Bradford's predicament and demands that he resign or be recalled thereafter dominated debate at ensuing city council meetings.
"We were all absolutely horrified. Being a drug addict is one thing, but manufacturing drugs is something else altogether," said Irene Graham, a former chairman of the town planning commission.
"We were sucker punched," said Mayor Sharleta Callaway, who with others asked Bradford to resign his $300 a month position, post haste.
He did, effective last Monday -- and that action put the town of 1,756 residents in an unaexpected procedural cul-de-sac.
It seems two people have already resigned form the Biggs City Council and Bradford's departure leaves only two elected members on the panel. Absent a majority of elected members, state law bars the council from appointing someojne to fill Bradford's vacant seat, City Administrator Karin Helvey said.
Four candidates are running in the Nov. 7 election for three open seats on the Biggs City Council. Unfortunately, Bradford's seat isn't one of them. His term does not end until 2004, Helvey said
"Now we have to wait until after January when the new council members take office. Then we'll have to decide whether to call a special election or wait until the regular election in November (2004)," Callaway said.
Biggs's annual budget last year was $2 million.
"I don't know what a special election costs, but it's a lot. Personally, I hope they'll wait for the regular election," Callaway said.
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