Yucaipa council asks Councilmember Bob Miller to resign, refers contract with his spouse to outside counsel

The Yucaipa City Council on Oct. 6, 2025 unanimously requested that Councilmember Bob Miller resign and referred a professional services agreement between the city and Miller’s spouse to the city’s outside counsel for review under Government Code section 1090 and the Political Reform Act, the city attorney reported after the council reconvened from closed session.

The action came at a special council meeting that opened at 4:01 p.m. and moved into closed session at 4:04 p.m. The council reconvened at 5:55 p.m. before the city attorney delivered the report. At the start of the meeting the clerk noted Councilmember Miller was absent and Councilmember Beaver was participating remotely; the clerk also said language had been added to the agenda in compliance with AB 2449 and local teleconference procedures and that no remote public requests had been received.

Dr. Hanson Wong of Yucaipa addressed the council during the public comment period before the closed session, urging greater transparency. Wong said the council’s earlier discussion of an “80 acres” matter left a perception that “there was nothing about, lawsuits or about, HR or about the possibility of lawsuits, or about contracting dollar amounts.”

After the council returned from closed session, the city attorney reported that the council had become aware of a professional services agreement entered into by the city with the spouse of Councilmember Bob Miller and had chosen to refer the matter to outside counsel for a legal determination. The city attorney further reported that, “by unanimous vote, [the council] requested Councilmember Miller resign from his position on the city council.”

The meeting adjourned at 5:56 p.m. The council did not announce a timetable for the outside counsel’s review during the session.