Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Personnel Litigation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Santa Rosa City Council recesses to closed session after public comment on potential employment claim
Summary
At a special meeting called to order at 1:30 p.m., the Santa Rosa City Council recessed into closed session to consult with legal counsel about 'significant exposure to litigation' tied to potential employment-related claims after a public commenter urged a thorough investigation and fair settlements.
The Santa Rosa City Council recessed into closed session after a brief public comment during a special meeting called to order at 1:30 p.m. The council said the closed session would be a "conference with legal counsel regarding a significant exposure to litigation," and the agenda referenced potential employment-related claims.
Madam City Clerk conducted roll call before the closed session. The clerk said Council member Rogers, Council member O'Krapke, Council member Ben Willows, Vice Mayor Alvarez and Mayor Stapp were present and that Council member McDonald was absent. "Let the record show that all council members are present with the exception of council member McDonald," the clerk said.
During the public-comment period, Duane DeWitt of Roseland urged the council to weigh both the city's fiscal constraints and the need for a full investigation if allegations involve harassment. "If this is an employment related claim about harassment, especially if it's harassment towards a woman, I do believe it's very important to thoroughly investigate it and not just try to dismiss it out of hand to get an early settlement," DeWitt said. He added the city should seek settlements that are "fair" while avoiding overly large payouts as the city faces a challenging economic outlook.
After the comment, the council closed public comment and recessed into the scheduled closed session to confer with legal counsel about the litigation exposure described on the agenda. The open portion of the meeting concluded without any recorded votes or formal actions on the record; the transcript shows only the move to closed session and no further public deliberations or outcomes in the provided excerpt.
The council did not disclose details about the alleged claims in the public record. No statute, ordinance, or specific case number was cited in the open-session remarks. The council's next public actions or announcements about the item were not included in the transcript provided.
