Skateboard pro Robby Hargreaves’ 60 seconds of airtime at a Solvang City Council meeting in February prompted city officials to take a multi-month deep dive into a cellphone app developed by Mayor David Brown.
The local owner of Solvang Skate Shop approached the public comment podium that night to ask about a new scavenger hunt-style mobile app he’d heard about and the process behind how a business in town could become featured on it.
“I just wanted to get information about the app, which I thought was a city-run app,” Hargreaves told the Sun via email in late April. “I am speaking up to stand up for other businesses who feel there might be backlash for doing what I did.”
Over the next two months, Brown’s Solvang Passport app became a heated talking point, including at the council’s April 27 meeting. That night, the council considered revising its code of ethics to address some officials’ complaints that they weren’t properly notified about Brown’s app and perceived conflict of interest concerns—as the app charges a monthly $250 fee to businesses that are highlighted.
“We’re trying to balance a lot of things here and be responsive to your concerns about not being notified,” City Attorney Chelsea O’Sullivan told the council.
Brown told O’Sullivan and other city staff in December 2025 about Solvang Passport to request advice on any potential conflicts he should be aware of while operating his new business.
Staff didn’t notify members of the council about Brown’s request because there’s nothing in current city code that requires that kind of disclosure, City Manager Randy Murphy explained.
“I didn’t say anything because there was nothing in the code that says, ‘Hey, you all should know or have an opportunity to weigh in on it,’” Murphy said after staff introduced a proposed ethics code addition. “This is an effort to address council members’ concerns that were raised about being blindsided or surprised by the Solvang Passport app.”
Staff’s pitch on April 27 was to add one sentence to Solvang’s code of ethics: “Members of the City Council shall promptly notify staff and the City Council of any new material financial interests that arise during the members’ term in office.”
The council ultimately directed staff to return with a rewrite after some officials argued that the ‘financial interests’ descriptor was too broad and vague.
Councilmember Elizabeth Orona said she also didn’t agree with staff’s description of the policy as “self-enforcing in that it places the responsibility upon individual members” to ensure their conduct meets ethical standards.
“I’m just going to go for the heart of the matter right now. I do not agree necessarily with self-policing ethics,” Elizabeth said. “There needs to be something in our ethics code that lets the council members take a position formally, because—I told you, Dave—I don’t want to be part of a council that just ignores something that’s wrong or that’s unethical or unfair to residents and businesspeople. … I will say, honestly, I don’t want to be part of a council that’s unable to do that.”
Staff explained at a previous meeting in March that Mayor Brown would face personal liability for any hypothetical failure to comply with conflict of interest rules and that his “potential statutory conflicts seem to be manageable.”
As she’s also stated at prior hearings, Councilmember Claudia Orona repeated on April 27 that there’s nothing prohibiting someone from filing a complaint about Brown’s business to the Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC).
“I think it’s pretty good as written,” Claudia said about staff’s original revision to the ethics code. She said it wouldn’t be a good use of city staff’s time to continue lingering on the issue.
“I can understand how it looks bad if somebody is in an elected position and they’re starting a new business. … The business owners might be inclined on joining in on the business because they think that might get them special consideration or special favor,” Claudia said. “I can see how it looks messy, but until there is an actual action where he is granting special privileges to somebody just because they do business with him, I think there’s less of an ethical problem.”
Claudia’s family business, the Solvang Trolley Ice Cream Parlor, is a featured destination on Brown’s Solvang Passport app, which rewards users who scan certain QR codes at specific venues with discounts from local shops and eateries.
“If we expect City Council [members] to have nothing to do with anybody and just focus on public service, well then maybe we should employ them full time with the city and expect them to not have any other income so that they can’t possibly be influenced by outside interests,” Claudia said. “We don’t do that, and ultimately we’re still free to pursue whatever businesses we have.”
Two speakers participated in public comment during the ethics discussion, one of whom was Solvang Skate Shop owner Hargreaves. He returned to publicly apologize to Mayor Brown, he explained, for any negative impacts his comments about Solvang Passport in February caused.
“I did not mean to cause any hardship towards you or to the City Council whatsoever. I’ve known Mayor Brown for the better part of 12, 13 years. … I look at you as a mentor, and I love you,” Hargreaves said, “and part of loving our friends is also [saying] when we believe that there’s some wrongdoing. And I just want to make that known. … I’m not taking a shot at you, Dave.”
This article appears in April 30 – May 7, 2026.