Sister Cities Funds Spent Properly, Auditors Find

More than $55,000 in public funds granted to a Sister Cities program overseen by Juanita St. John were properly spent, despite some contract and accounting irregularities, Los Angeles city auditors said Wednesday.

The money, approved by the City Council under two contracts, was intended to help fund a July, 1986, international conference of city representatives at Universal City, according to an audit released by City Controller Rick Tuttle.

The audit was ordered in part because St. John, a business associate of Mayor Tom Bradley, is the focus of a criminal probe of possible misuse of funds in an Africa trade task force. Auditors found the city’s contract with the Sister Cities group was vague, poorly monitored by the city clerk and some provisions were violated, but that the money was appropriately expended.