>> NOW TO THE FOLLOW UP ON THE
BOB NORMAN INVESTIGATION THAT
MIGHT BE SEEN AS A SIMPLE
NEIGHBORHOOD DISPUTE BUT THIS
FIGHT INVOLVED AN ELECTED
OFFICIAL.
>> CALVIN: AND ALLEGATIONS OF
UNETHICAL BEHAVIOR.
NOW THE QUESTION IS WHO WILL
PREVAIL IN THE BACKYARD BATTLE
THAT IS CONSUMING AN ENTIRE
CITY?
HERE'S THE REPORT.
>> WE'RE HERE TO DO THINGS
RIGHT.
>> REPORTER: THAT'S JOSE DIAZ
ON CONSTRUCTION IN HIS OWN
BACKYARD IN 2014 BEINGDONE
WITHOUT PROPER PERMITS.
>> I AM NOT A PROBLEM SOLVER.
>> AND THEY NEARLY FINISHED THE
CONSTRUCTION BUT THE BUILDING
NOT IN COMPLIANCE WITH CITY
SETBACK CODES REMAIN
UNAUTHORIZED TO BE THERE.
THE NEIGHBORS HAVE BEEN
FIGHTING AGAINST DIAZ'S
BACKYARD BOHEMITH FOR SEVERAL
YEARS.
AFTER LOCAL 10 REPORTED HIS
PERMIT EXPIRED HE WENT BACK
BEFORE THE ZONING BOARD TO TRY
TO GET ANOTHER VARIANCE AND
LOST.
HERE'S THE COUPLE'S ATTORNEY,
PAUL SAVAGE.
>> HE TAKES IT ON APPEAL TO THE
CITY COMMISSION WHERE HE'S ON
THAT PANEL.
>> AND RECUSED HIMENTZ.
>> I'M NOT SUPPORTING IT.
>> LOPEZ REFUSED TO SIGN THE
RESOLUTION PROMPTING DIAZ TO
SIGN IT HIMSELF.
>> I DON'T KNOW MR. DIAZ WOULD
SIGN A VARIANCE ON HIS OWN
HOUSE.
>> HE WARNED HIM TO STOP WHILE
IN COURT.
>> HE KEPT BUILDING.
>> DIAZ GOT EXTRA HELP IN THE
CITY.
THE SWEETWATER CITY ATTORNEY
HIRED AN OUTSIDE ATTORNEY TO
REPRESENT THE CITY IN THE CASE
WITHOUT REQUIRED AUTHORIZATION
FROM THE COMMISSION.
>> TO DATE WE RECEIVED ABOUT
50,000 DOLLARS.
>> AFTER MAYOR LOPEZ EXPOSED
THE COMMISSION THEY VOTED
RETROACTIVELY TO APPROVE THOSE
PAYMENTS.
>> DO YOU THINK THIS WOULD HAVE
BEEN DONE IF HE WASN'T A
COMMISSIONER?
>> YEAH.
AND IT IS THAT PRIVATE
INDIVIDUAL.
>> IN JUNE THEY RULED AGAINST
DIAZ.
>> IT WAS ERASED AND NEED TO
TEAR IT DOWN AND IGNORED THAT.
IT'S NOT ILLEGAL.
>> THE COURT THREW IT OUT.
>> THEY SAY THE PROCEDURE IS
WRONG, NOT THE CONSTRUCTION.
>> BUT IT'S AGAINST THE RULES.
>> YOUR OPINION.
>> REPORTER: SHORTLY AFTER THIS
INTERVIEW AN ITEM WAS PLACED ON
THE AGENDA BY THE VICE MAYOR, A
DIAZ FRIEND, TO RELAX PERMITING
RULES ACROSS THE ENTIRE CITY TO
DIRECTLY BENEFIT DIAZ.
>> DID YOU DO THIS TO HELP HIM?
IT LOOKS THAT WAY.
>> REPORTER: DIAZ WASN'T
TALKING AT MONDAY'S MEETING
WHEN I ASKED HIM ABOUT SIGNING
THE APPROVAL TO HIS OWN HOUSE.
>> THIS RESLUSION TONIGHT IS
THAT GEARED TOWARDS SOMETHING
IN YOUR SITUATION AT YOUR HOUSE?
I HAVE NOTHING TO SAY.
>> WHEN THE ITEM CAMUM, DIAZ
RECUSED HIMSELF AGAIN AND THE
VICE MAYOR UNEXPECTEDLY PULLED
IT FROM DISCUSSION.
>> I'D LIKE A DEFERMENT UNTIL
AFTER THE CASE IS DONE.
>> THE COMMISSION BLINKED.
>> BUT THE CONSTRUCTION REMAINS
AS DOES THE CALL TO TEAR IT
DOWN.
>> YOU HAVE SAID IF IT WAS NOT
PROPER YOU WOULD DEMOLISH?
>> EVERYTHING WAS LEGAL.
>> IN SWEET WATER, BOB NORMAN,
LOCAL 10 NEWS.
>> DIAZ INTENDS TO GO BACK TO
THE CITY TO OBTAIN THE VARIANCE
AND HE TOLD BYE-BYE BOB HE
HIRED THE ATTORNEY IN