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Paso Robles council appoints interim city manager and reports settlement with former manager
Summary
The City Council appointed Chris Huot as interim city manager and reported a finalized settlement with former city manager Lewis, including payments totaling $365,954.66 and a 4-1 council vote to approve the settlement terms.
The Paso Robles City Council on Feb. 4 appointed Chris Huot as interim city manager and reported a settlement with former city manager Lewis reached in late January.
City Attorney Elizabeth Hall announced the personnel and legal actions during the council's report out from closed session. "I am pleased to announce that the council has chosen to appoint mister Huot, as the interim city manager, and will be bringing back an employment contract for him, for that role on February 18," Hall said. She later read details of a separate settlement involving former city manager Lewis and a claim the transcript describes as alleging a hostile work environment.
Hall told the council the settlement, now effective, resolves a government claim Lewis filed Aug. 16, 2024. She said the agreement includes a city payment of $145,954.66 to Lewis and a $220,000 payment from the California Joint Powers Insurance Authority (CJPIA). Hall said the council voted 4-1 to approve the settlement terms, with Council Member Bausch recorded as the dissenting vote. She said the agreement contains a nondisparagement provision and waivers and releases by all parties, and that the signed agreement has been posted to the city web site.
The city attorney also reported that other closed-session items were discussed with no reportable action, including conference on anticipated litigation (one of three listed cases discussed), two potential initiations of litigation, and real property negotiations related to a portion of 611 Spring Street. Hall said the council will make no additional public comment on the settlement per its terms.
The city clerk later confirmed the council would bring an employment contract for Huot back to the Feb. 18 meeting. The transcript does not record a roll-call vote tied to the interim appointment; the appointment was announced as the council's choice during the closed-session report.
Ending — The city posted the settlement agreement to its web site and will return Feb. 18 with an employment contract to formalize Huot's interim appointment.
