Bonita City Council removes water-plant foreman, reassigns employee and lifts suspension

The Bonita City Council voted on July 15, 2025, to remove Kevin Kates from his foreman position at the city's water plant, reassign him to another department with pay equal to that department and immediately lift a suspension entered the previous day. Councilmember Lucas made the motion and an administrator, Bridal Prince, seconded; the motion passed on a roll-call vote.

The motion as stated on the record was: "remove Kevin Kates from the foreman position, to be reassigned to another department with the pay that would be equal to that department, and also that effective immediately the suspension would be lifted." The council recorded eight affirmative votes (Blair; Riley; Young; Wofford; Tyler; Swift; Lucas; Hare) and no recorded opposition. Missus Connell conducted the roll call.

The action followed the council's return to open session after an executive session; the meeting record notes that no votes were taken inside executive session and that the motion and vote occurred in open session. The council's formal motion and roll call constitute a decision rather than direction to staff: the removal, reassignment and lifting of suspension were approved as described on the record.

The meeting record does not show extended public debate or additional discussion about operational details of the water plant or the specific reassignment destination. The council’s action notes that the reassignment is subject to pay "commensurate" with the receiving department; the record does not specify the receiving department, the effective pay rate beyond that phrasing, or any changes to duties. The suspension referenced in the motion had been entered the previous day; the exact basis for that suspension is not specified in the minutes and was not described on the record during this vote.

Council action was announced immediately after the roll call: "Motion is approved. Mr. Kates will be removed as a foreman at the water plant subject to reassignment, with commensurate pay and the suspension that was entered yesterday, is hereby lifted." The council then moved to subsequent agenda items.

Next steps (not detailed in the meeting transcript) would include the administrative reassignment itself and any personnel paperwork required to change position or pay. The transcript does not specify who will implement the reassignment or any timeline for that work.