POSTMUS WILL NOT APPEAR BEFORE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

SAN BERNARDINO -- San Bernardino County Assessor Bill Postmus will
not be at the Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday, despite being
asked by the chairman to answer questions about a grand jury report
slamming his management of the department.

Chairman Paul Biane last month requested that Bill Postmus appear
before the board on Aug. 19 to answer questions about a report
criticizing Postmus for the way he runs the assessor's office.

Acting Assessor Harlow Cameron sent a memo to Biane saying Postmus
would not appear as he is in the "midst of a 10-week medical leave of absence."

Despite Cameron offering to send someone else in Postmus' stead,
Biane said that the board will revisit the issue once Postmus returns
to work. A grand jury report released in July criticized Postmus for
his management of the office and raised questions regarding political
posturing taking place in the public office.

The report was followed by the arrest of former assistant assessor
Adam Aleman, who is charged with six felonies related to altering
documents and lying to the grand jury. Most recently allegations have
surfaced that Postmus has suffered from an addiction to methamphetamine.

Postmus did not disclose reasons for his medical leave and would not
comment on the drug-use allegations saying he does not comment on
"private matters regarding public officials."