Arcadia residents press council for accountability after former mayor27s guilty plea; city manager says removal powers limited

Arcadia27s City Council faced more than an hour of tense public comment on May 19 as residents pressed elected officials for answers after former Mayor Eileen Wang27s federal plea. The council heard repeated demands for resignations and investigations, and the city manager urged calm and explained the limits of local authority.

City Manager Dominic Lazaretto told the chamber the city27s hands are constrained by law: "Eileen Wang voluntarily resigned from office on May 11," he said, and "federal criminal matters do not fall under the jurisdiction of the city of Arcadia or the city council." Lazaretto said the charter only allows removal after a conviction or if an official abandons the office.

The public comment period drew a steady stream of speakers. "The residents of Arcadia deserve accountability, transparency and leadership that always puts our city first," said Berten Brink, who criticized the council27s handling of warnings about Wang and urged leaders to prioritize public trust. Many other speakers said they had warned the council earlier and were frustrated that concerns were not addressed publicly.

Several speakers named council members who had supported Wang and asked them to resign. "This is not about race. This is about leadership, ethics, accountability," one resident said, urging action from the council. Other commenters urged that the city avoid broadening suspicion of the Chinese American community and called for unity; one longtime resident who said she had received direct help from Wang during the pandemic asked the chamber not to "brush over an entire community."

Council members and the city attorney clarified what the council could and could not do under the charter. The city attorney reiterated that the council has no authority to remove a member prior to conviction and that vacancy rules are triggered by conviction or resignation. The discussion prompted multiple requests from the public for additional transparency measures, including a forensic accounting and clearer disclosures of any staff or council inquiries.

The meeting27s tone at times was heated: the clerk and staff repeatedly reminded speakers of decorum rules, and the mayor warned that outbursts could result in removal from the chamber. The council concluded public comment and moved on to business items, saying staff and the council would continue to try to provide clear public information as the legal process proceeds.