San Bernardino convened a special closed session Friday evening to interview candidates for the city manager position, drawing a string of public commenters who demanded the council postpone the interviews until Mayor Tran and two council members could attend.

Residents attending the meeting said holding closed‑session interviews when Mayor Tran and Councilmembers Mario Flores and Treasure Ortiz were absent undermined transparency and representation. "It is important for all 8 members of the elected body to have a say in interviewing a city manager," said Stephanie Libbins, who identified herself as representing the Fourth Ward. "Having input from all elected representatives ensures that the hire reflects the collective vision."

The public turnout and comments focused on process and trust rather than the candidates themselves. David Friedman told the council, "you guys are creating a liability for the city right now," citing past departures of city managers that resulted in litigation. John Shellenberger, who identified himself as from the Seventh Ward, said the council could have postponed the meeting so "everybody has a place at the table and a say in what's going on."

Council members convened in closed session to conduct interviews. The city attorney reported after the closed session that "the council met in closed session, conducted some interviews. There's no reportable action or any action that was taken in closed session." Immediately afterward the city attorney read a prepared statement on the selection process that, according to his remarks, had been approved by a majority of the council "with Councilmember Flores dissenting." The statement read in part: "The city of San Bernardino has been without a permanent city manager for almost 12 months. This process has not been rushed. Every step has been deliberate, lawful and carefully considered. This is not a secret meeting. While the meeting is confidential, that confidentiality exists to ensure fairness and integrity for all candidates involved."

After the statement was read, the council moved to adjourn. The special meeting was recessed and the council scheduled a special meeting for 04/27/2025 at the boardroom, 201 Northeast Street, Third Floor, San Bernardino, California 92401, with closed session beginning at 5:30 p.m.

Speakers at the meeting repeatedly urged the council to delay the interviews until the full complement of elected officials could participate. Several speakers described the current hiring process as emblematic of broader concerns about transparency and governance; others noted the potential loss of qualified candidates if the process were delayed. The city attorney and meeting officials repeatedly described the closed session as confidential and said no final, reportable decisions were made during the interviews.

The meeting record shows a divide between public callers for postponement and the council majority's decision to proceed with interviews in closed session and to release the prepared statement about the process. The city attorney's remarks and the scheduled follow‑up meeting are the only formal, reportable items on the public record from the session.

A list of written comments distributed to councilmembers was also made available and attached to the meeting agenda packet on the city's website, according to city staff.