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Residents criticize City Manager Ben Martinez's oversight and staff morale during public comment
Summary
Public commenters raised concerns about City Manager Ben Martinez's leadership, citing alleged poor fiscal oversight, low staff morale, and meetings with developers without planning staff present; speakers urged the council to review staff treatment and the manager's accountability.
During public comment ahead of a closed-session review of the city manager, residents criticized City Manager Ben Martinez for leadership decisions they said have hurt morale and fiscal oversight.
Several speakers said Martinez had failed to produce regular financial statements and allowed persistent controversies to continue. "We've got $6,000,000 looking down the budget," said one commenter, criticizing fiscal management and staff morale. Another speaker urged the manager to consider a 360-degree staff review, saying employees are "disgusted, embarrassed" and fearful of speaking up.
Commenters also asked why the city manager met with developers while planning staff were not present. One speaker asked, "Is anyone from planning going to be at the meeting?" and later added that the city manager appeared distracted during developer meetings. Others said promised follow-up on cannabis licensing and other agenda items had not occurred, and that the manager had not provided applicants with timely public information.
The council placed a city-manager performance evaluation on the closed-session agenda as item 5.2. No formal public action was taken before the council entered closed session; any discussion or direction given there is confidential unless released by the council.
