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City employees and police union tell Winters council of hostile workplace and staffing crisis
Summary
During general public comment, city employees and the police officers’ association alleged an ongoing hostile work environment, said grievances went unaddressed, reported EEOC filings and urged the council to investigate and finalize overdue labor contracts to address retention and safety risks.
Multiple Winters city employees and the Winters Police Officers Association used public comment on Jan. 20 to outline workplace grievances and staffing shortfalls and to ask the council for urgent action.
Pedro Arredondo, who identified himself as a City of Winters maintenance worker, read a prepared statement saying city employees “have reached a point where remaining silent is no longer possible,” and alleging sustained hostile conduct, documented but unaddressed grievances, and recent filings with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. "No employee should be trapped, silenced, or disposable," he said, and called on council to “recognize the seriousness of these concerns… and to finally take action.”
Andrea Gonzalez, speaking as secretary and treasurer of the Winters Police Department Association, said the police association supports the other employee groups and described a staffing and retention crisis. Gonzalez said the department has been out of contract for six months, officers are receiving 20–45 hours of overtime in recent pay periods, several officers have left for neighboring agencies, and half the force is actively applying elsewhere. "We need direction to finalize and sign a contract now," she said, and asked for third‑party investigation of hostile‑work‑environment complaints and competitive market‑based compensation to retain officers.
Gail Harris, speaking from long experience with the city, described an ongoing collection of concerns presented to the council and city management since August 2023, including allegations about conduct, financial practices and potential Brown Act and Penal Code violations; she said multiple staff have left and formal complaints remain unresolved. Harris directed inquiries to the association’s legal representative and asked the council for follow‑up.
Council did not take immediate formal action on these items during the Jan. 20 meeting. Several council members acknowledged the seriousness of the allegations and said they would seek additional information and follow up with staff; no vote or formal directive to initiate a specific third‑party investigation was recorded in the public meeting minutes.
Next steps: request for follow‑up and clarity on investigations were raised, but the transcript records no committee vote or formal staffing decision on Jan. 20.
