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Former employee and residents urge Cotati council to investigate alleged code-enforcement misconduct
Summary
Several public commenters accused a city code-enforcement officer, named in comments as Robert Allen Smith, of misconduct and potential fraud; callers asked the council to investigate and said they would escalate complaints to county and state oversight bodies if the city did not respond.
Multiple public commenters used the special meeting’s public-comment period to call for investigation and accountability related to Cotati code-enforcement activities and a named individual, Robert Allen Smith. Commenters urged the council to respond and to direct city staff on where to file complaints.
A caller who identified himself as Braden Eggert and said he was a former Cotati code-enforcement employee described alleged “fraudulent, unethical, and potentially criminal behavior” by Robert Allen Smith and certain city officials, said he had tried to reach council members without response, and warned the council he would escalate the matter to the California state auditor, the Sonoma County civil grand jury and the U.S. Department of Justice if he did not receive a response. Eggert told the council he would prepare complaints and said: “You are all now on notice.”
Laurie Alderman, another commenter on Zoom, said she had compiled a packet of material and blamed Smith for a range of problems she asserted extended back to 2023. She urged the council to take action and told the council that information she provided included 67 pages of documents.
George Birich, who identified himself as a former Cotati city councilman, criticized the mayor’s conduct and raised concerns about a recent planning-commission appointment; Birich said a person the council reappointed had a criminal conviction and urged reconsideration. Birich also criticized the city attorney and said prior legal advice had cost the city money.
A follow-up comment from Eggert said he planned to prepare and submit a complaint about alleged misrepresentations of payments and other conduct; he asked staff to tell him where to file those complaints. The mayor responded that complaints could be sent to the city manager’s office.
Council and staff response: Council took no formal action at the meeting on the allegations. Staff and the mayor told public speakers that complaints could be submitted to the city manager’s office; staff did not announce any immediate internal investigation or other next steps during the meeting.
