The Sunnyside City Council voted Sept. 8 to remove City Manager Michael R. Gonzales from his position without cause and immediately suspended him from his duties, the council announced after a closed‑session briefing and public action.

Mayor Dean Verosa read a staff recommendation and the council resolution, saying the investigation "confirmed that mister Gonzales' claims against council member for harassment and interference... were not sustained" while also identifying "deficiencies in mister Gonzales' management, including improper hiring and failure to properly discipline." The council adopted Resolution No. 2025‑67, giving notice of intent to terminate the employment agreement and authorizing a severance payment conditioned on Gonzales' signing a release.

The move follows a city attorney briefing to council and public comment at the Sept. 8 meeting in which residents offered contrasting views about the investigation and Gonzales' performance. David Cortinas, a longtime local reporter who spoke during public comment, said the investigation showed no criminal misconduct: "They found nothing, nothing criminal, nothing in grounds of firing, nothing. Nada." Several other residents urged the council to retain Gonzales or to consider his prior community engagement, while other speakers raised concerns about financial controls and contract documentation.

Councilor Hart moved to approve the resolution to terminate Gonzales without cause; the motion was seconded by Deputy Mayor Galvan. The roll call on the termination motion recorded votes of yes from Councilor Vasquez, Councilor Ripley, Deputy Mayor Galvan and Mayor Verosa; Councilor Hart voted no; Councilor Hancock abstained. The motion passed.

A follow‑up resolution to suspend Gonzales from duties effective immediately also passed by a separate council vote. That second resolution notes that, under the professional services agreement between the city and Gonzales dated July 29, 2024, the city may terminate the manager with or without cause, and it directs Gonzales to return "all city owned property, including but not limited to keys, access cards, cellular phones, passwords, pins, electronic devices, files, documents, and any and all other city equipment, property, or materials." The suspension resolution was adopted after a roll‑call vote that recorded one no vote and carried on the majority.

The council's stated recommendation was to pursue termination without cause and offer a severance package to allow both parties to part ways "as amicably as possible." The resolution also referenced state statute procedure, noting that removal would be effective 30 days from notice unless a severance agreement specifies an earlier date or a hearing under RCW 35A.13.140 is requested and held.

City officials said the investigation did not sustain the manager's complaints against council members but did identify personnel‑management shortcomings and conduct that raised concerns about his ability to continue in the role. The resolution authorizes the city clerk to correct clerical errors in the document and directs that the action is effective upon council approval.

The council did not read the full investigative report into the public record at the meeting, but several callers during public comment asked for transparency about the investigation's findings, the number of public records requests and missing or incomplete contracts. Monica Niemeyer, a Sunnyside resident who spoke during public comment, said the public deserved full information about records and evaluations: "You gave him 53%." That remark referenced the speaker's interpretation of the manager's performance evaluation numbers disclosed in public comment.

No further personnel action was announced at the Sept. 8 meeting beyond the two resolutions. The council moved into an executive session later in the meeting for legal discussion; when the session ended, the mayor announced no additional action was taken in open session.