Outside counsel says town referred Ledbetter whistleblower report to San Mateo County DA; manager on leave

Outside counsel Richard Bolanos told the Woodside Town Council on March 10 that the town has referred a whistleblower report released by Town Manager Jason Ledbetter to the San Mateo County District Attorneyand to an independent investigator for related harassment and discrimination claims. Bolanos said Ledbetter had pressed the council in February for a lump-sum payment of about $400,000 and, after the council rejected the demand, released the report to the public. Bolanos said the town is cooperating with investigators and reviewing records for public- records requests.

Why it matters: The councilis treating the allegations as a matter for independent and prosecutorial review rather than an internal political resolution. That removes decision-making about the claims from the council while external investigators examine potential criminal and employment-law issues.

Bolanos summarized the sequence: following a Jan. 13 performance review, the council approved a $15,000 amendment to Ledbetter's pay that increased his annual salary to $315,000. On Feb. 17, Bolanos said, Ledbetter demanded roughly $400,000 in a lump sum and threatened to publicize his allegations and "grind all town business to a halt" if the payment was not authorized. The council met in closed session, rejected the demand, and then referred the claims to the District Attorney; Bolanos told the council Ledbetter is now on paid administrative leave.

"My office is advising the town on the whistleblower report that was released to the public on February 19 by town manager Jason Ledbetter," Bolanos said in his opening remarks. He added that "the town staff and council are fully cooperating with the district attorney's office," and that the town's insurance carrier had arranged an independent investigator for employment-related complaints.

Several residents who spoke during public comment urged a fully independent investigation and publicly accountable selection process for any investigator. Steve Lubin, a resident who said he had personal concerns consistent with the whistleblower claims, asked the council to "agendize action on an independent investigation of these corruption claims at your next meeting." Don Pew, another longtime resident, described his personal experiences with Ledbetter and said the community needed to "restore public trust." Kristen New, calling in from Zoom, said she hoped the town's inquiry would be "transparent and public" and that results would be released.

What the council did: No formal policy motion was made at the meeting to hire a particular investigator. Bolanos said the council had referred the report to the San Mateo County District Attorney with a request for investigation and that employment-related allegations had been referred to an independent investigator through the town's insurance carrier. The council stated it was respecting the ongoing processes and would not take further public comment about the matter that could interfere with the inquiries.

Next steps: Bolanos said responsive documents will be produced after a public-records review. The district attorney's office and the independent investigator will determine any further action; the council emphasized it will comply with interviews and inquiries.