Mayor urges adherence to chain of command after staff email disputes; council to tighten public-comment rules

The mayor told council members that personal attacks on employees through email and public meetings are unacceptable and said the city will enforce chain-of-command procedures and limit in-meeting dialogue during public comment.

Speaking at the meeting, the mayor said an earlier email exchange that criticized an employee left leaders “disheartened” and vowed to curtail similar conduct. “I will not allow any employee to attack another employee in that email,” the mayor said. “From this point forward, if any employee does not disclose—that is not acceptable.”

Officials discussed the appropriate process for employees with complaints and emphasized that concerns about wages, equipment or working conditions should go through directors and supervisors before being aired at council meetings. The mayor said staff should use internal channels and that council will expect directors to manage personnel issues.

Council members also discussed tightening public-comment procedures, including time limits and avoiding back-and-forth dialogue between the council and speakers. One speaker noted that other jurisdictions use timers to enforce limits and suggested a short, standardized time for public comments.

Why it matters: the mayor framed the changes as both protecting employees and preserving the council’s ability to focus on agenda items. Officials said stricter enforcement will control lengthy meetings and reduce inflammatory public exchanges.

Ending: The mayor said he would address the specific email author privately and that the council would advance clearer public-comment limits and reinforce chain-of-command expectations with staff.