San Bernardino council holds closed-session interviews for city manager; no reportable action

The San Bernardino mayor and city council convened a special closed session at 5:33 p.m. to interview candidates for the city manager position under Government Code section 54957 and returned to open session at 8:52 p.m., with a city staff member reporting "no reportable action."

The closed session, identified on the record as a public-employee appointment under Government Code section 54957, was preceded by a single public comment in which a resident criticized prior city managers and urged the council to select a qualified candidate promptly. After the council reconvened, a staff member reported that the closed session produced no reportable action.

Why it matters: The city manager oversees municipal operations and staffing; interviews and selections occur in closed session under state law governing personnel matters. Although closed interviews are routine for hiring senior executives, the absence of a reportable outcome means the council made no formal appointment or public decision during this meeting.

A resident who spoke during the public-comment period criticized a past city manager identified in the comment as "Mr. Matoya," saying, "I know this meeting is about the city manager. Hopefully, you guys pick a good city manager. I know the, mister Matoya, he was a drunk. The first meeting he came to sounded drunk. Words of slurring." The speaker also said members of the council have repeatedly spent lengthy periods searching for city managers and urged the council to finalize a selection so the city could move on to other priorities.

On the record before recessing to closed session, C. de Clark, city clerk, noted for the public that the closed-session item was a public-employee appointment pursuant to Government Code section 54957 and that the closed-session interviews concerned the city manager position. The council reconvened at 8:52 p.m., and a staff member identified in the meeting as Mr. Seatscher reported to the public: "There was no reportable action from closed session. For the public, the mayor and city council met in closed session to interview city manager candidates. And there's no reportable action."

The meeting was then adjourned; the council announced its next joint special meeting date and location as April 10, 2025, at Feldheym Central Library, 555 W. Sixth Street, San Bernardino.

No motions, votes, appointments, or formal directions were reported publicly at the close of the session. The record on the public-facing portion of the meeting therefore shows discussion and interviews held in closed session with no formal or reportable outcome disclosed to the public at this meeting.