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Public commenters accuse city of poor follow-up on field incidents and unfair firing
Summary
Two speakers during public comment alleged the city mishandled field operations and employee discipline: Isaiah Gonzalez disputed items in a PIP memo about a waterline incident, and Michael Lankford said he was fired despite a previously clean record and alleged coworkers' fraudulent time reporting.
Two members of the public used the council's public-comment period to raise personnel and field‑work concerns.
Isaiah Gonzalez (315 Butterfield Trail) said a March 13 PIP memo and an internal investigation mischaracterized his conduct during a sewer/waterline repair on Aiden Road. Gonzalez told the council crews exposed an old, corroded private water line while digging a sewer trench and that he urged replacement while the road was closed. He said a supervisor told him to coordinate with distribution crews but that later personnel records in the PIP recorded his response as "I don't know, I just work here." Gonzalez described that phrasing as "shady reporting" and said the investigator did not follow up with him. He asked how to request more time to address council or follow up on the memo.
"I did make that comment, but Jonelle never followed up with me," Gonzalez said, describing the investigator's failure to clarify the record.
Michael Lankford (399 East Aurora) said he had "absolutely no disciplinary action whatsoever" during his years with the city until a recent incident that led to his firing. Lankford alleged that, before his termination, he had repeatedly reported colleagues for falsifying timecards—he said he collected video and photographic evidence and raised the issue to supervisors—but that the matter was not addressed while he was dismissed for a mistake.
"I had no verbal, written—nothing," Lankford said of his personnel record. He said he had received employee‑of‑the‑month and employee‑of‑the‑year recognition in the past, and that he believed his firing was deliberate.
Neither speaker reported receiving an on-the-record response from council during the meeting. Council members and staff directed speakers to continue communications with the mayor's office and to follow existing public-record or personnel processes for additional documentation.
These remarks represent allegations raised during public comment and were not accompanied by formal complaints or findings during the meeting.
