Ione council waives privileges for censure probe, denies three government claims

The Ione City Council at a special April 2025 meeting voted to allow an outside investigator to interview witnesses about a censure investigation and to approve limited disclosure of confidential closed-session material, and separately reported denying three government claims.

Council members approved two specific motions: one waiving the council's attorney-client privilege to permit the investigator to interview former city attorney Andy Panasco, and a second authorizing disclosure of confidential closed-session information about Castle Oaks Golf Course to the investigator only. Both motions passed on unanimous voice votes. Earlier in the meeting staff reported the city had received three government claims, from Mary Anne Cassidy, Christiane Arseneth and George Arseneth; the council voted 3-0 to deny those claims and said notice of denial would be sent shortly.

The motions were presented by city counsel during a brief regular-agenda item that followed a closed session. City counsel told the council the investigator had requested interviews and that, "to the extent within the scope of the investigation, [we should] waive attorney-client privilege held by the council" so prospective interviewees could speak freely. The first motion addressed privilege for former city attorney Andy Panasco; the second authorized disclosure of closed-session information "pertaining to the Castle Oaks Golf Course and otherwise within the scope of the investigation" to the investigator only.

Mayor Rhodes announced a recusal from the first closed-session item, saying, "I'll be recusing from item 1 since I live on the golf course." Staff later stated that Council Member Mitchell had recused as well, and that with that recusal the council lacked a quorum for the first closed-session item, so only the second closed-session item would be discussed in closed session. The transcript records an inconsistency about who had recused; the meeting record shows both the mayor and Council Member Mitchell were identified in relation to a recusal during the discussion of closed-session item 1.

During public comment resident Elmer Roadie criticized the frequency and cost of special meetings, saying, "I've never seen so many special meetings held in the city of Ione as long as I've lived here" and calling the practice "kinda ridiculous." No other public commenters spoke on the closed-session items or the motions.

The council also approved the special-meeting agenda at the start of the meeting and later moved to adjourn. The meeting transcript does not list mover/second by name for all motions; votes on the motions were recorded by voice as unanimous "ayes" or, for the government-claims denial, as a 3-0 vote.

The actions leave a mix of next steps: staff said notices denying the claims would be sent "shortly hereafter," and the investigator will proceed with interview requests now that privilege and closed-session disclosure issues have been addressed. The council did not adopt any additional public policy or ordinance during the meeting.

The transcript identifies the subject of the closed session as "conference with real property negotiators, Castle Oaks" and as liability (government) claims. The motions and the claims denial were brief and decided without extended public debate.