Council raises staffing and employee‑relations concerns after council assistant resignations

Two recent resignations among staff who supported the mayor and council prompted a Monday discussion about how council assistants are managed and how employees and residents report concerns.

Councilmember Wagner said the council’s experience with assistants has shown the arrangement “has not worked out well” and asked the city attorney and manager to explore ways the council could have clearer control of council assistant staff. “I think that needs to be fixed,” Wagner said, adding that employees should have a route to raise concerns without fear of retribution.

Several councilmembers described practical confusion after the sudden departures, including outstanding expense reports and gaps in scheduling and administrative support. Councilmember Rucker — who identified herself as a human resources professional — said the council had budgeted for two city council assistants and a chief of staff, and urged that job roles and reporting relationships be clarified when replacements are sought.

City Manager Brown said staff will review the council assistant positions, clarify expectations with councilmembers and ensure future hires understand reporting and availability responsibilities. Brown also said staff can provide interim coverage for administrative functions while the positions are evaluated and filled.

Councilmembers discussed asking the city attorney to examine whether council assistants should report to the council rather than through the city manager’s office; opinions varied among members. Several members also proposed studying an independent ombuds or complaint channel for city employees and contractors who believe they have workplace or service complaints they are uncomfortable raising internally.

No personnel actions were approved at the meeting; Brown said staff would return with proposals and clearer job descriptions to the council for direction.