The City of Carmel-by-the-Sea’s Code of Ethics states, in part, as follows:
“Our system of government is viewed by the public through our acts as we fulfill the demands of our positions. We must demonstrate competency, integrity, honesty, courtesy and fairness in all relationships, private and public, to best represent the type of government desired by all. We have a patriotic duty to fulfill our roles in the highest standard possible for the purpose of assuring exemplary government for all people. A departure from this ideal creates an injustice for all. (Ord. 87-1 § 2, 1987).”
Given the severity of the credible allegations of Human Resources Manager Jane Kingsley Miller regarding the intolerable and unacceptable workplace environment at City Hall created by City Administrator Rich Guillen and Mayor Sue McCloud, it is imperative that the following actions occur immediately:
• A Special City Council Meeting is convened for the purpose of voting to terminate Rich Guillen from employment as city administrator of the City of Carmel-by-the-Sea.
• Mayor Sue McCloud and City Council Members Paula Hazdovac, Gerard Rose, Karen Sharp and Ken Talmage tender their resignations as city council members of the City of Carmel-by-the-Sea.
For arguably at least the last two years, Mayor Sue McCloud and City Council Members Paula Hazdovac, Gerard Rose, Karen Sharp and Ken Talmage knew, or should have known, about the workplace environment at City Hall. Their actions, including but not limited to, voting to approve an increase in Rich Guillen’s salary and benefits during this period, and inactions, including but not limited to, failing to investigate Jane Miller’s serious complaints, represent an irreparable breach of public trust and “an injustice for all.”
Moreover, since 2000, with the election of Sue McCloud as mayor of the City of Carmel-by-the-Sea and her selection of Rich Guillen as city administrator, our city government has been a government of, by, and for Sue McCloud. Now, it is time for Camelites to restore our city government to a government of the people, by the people, for the people of the City of Carmel-by-the-Sea by demanding the termination from city employment of Rich Guillen as city administrator and the resignations of Mayor Sue McCloud and City Council Members Paula Hazdovac, Gerard Rose, Karen Sharp and Ken Talmage because elected officials and city employees are answerable and accountable to the people from whom all legitimate power emanates and for whom government exists. Otherwise, the constitutional principle that public office and public service is a public trust is nonexistence.
13 comments:
3 of the 5 council members are women, so much for women supporting women and women’s solidarity. Apart from these 3 never having earned my high regards, I will never look at them in the same way again. Their behavior has been disgraceful and they should be gone.
No amount of money can make up for the discrimination and harassment enduring by Jane Miller, but maybe a large settlement will help her heal from the mental and psychological pain of the experience. No one should ever have to be subjected to harassment in the workplace in this day and age. No one! I also hope a large settlement will send a message to future mayors, council members and city employees they better have zero tolerance for harassment and discrimination in the workplace.
Speaking of screwed. Not only is there a possibility of a large settlement, but there has been taxpayer money given to employees who did not earn it. After a settlement or a trial verdict, can Jane Miller's attorney forward that information to the DA's office for possible criminal charges?
Carmel officials harbor grandiose thoughts about how their opinions are looked for by others in carmel’s sphere of influence and how exemplary our city is compared to other cities when the opposite is true. Some of us have known of the incompetence of the city administrator forever, but this lawsuit really paints an until now concealed, disturbing picture of a workplace where sexual harassment and discrimination is pervasive and constant.
In a perfect world, Rich, Sue, Paula, Gerard, Ken and Karen would not see another public meeting. But this is Carmel, and unless there is outrage expressed by enough members of the public, sadly probably nothing will happen, except maybe early retirement for Rich.
I am appalled our taxpayer monies went to a sexual harassing city administrator. How did he have the time to perform any useful function while administrator all these years when he was busy emailing and calling female employees and cooking the books to give undeserved bonuses to flirting females?
Too many Carmelites like playing Sue McCloud’s game too much in exchange for the few spoils from the corrupt system for there to be sufficient outrage to cause a shakeup at city hall.
It is clear that nothing will move the city council short of a law suit. It is only when it is forced to do the right thing for Carmel that it does so and then as minimally as it can get away with.
The reason we have such poor city council members is that people of ability, who want to lead Carmel in directions that are good for business and residents alike, do not run for the city council. Until this changes, both the business and residential communities will have to suffer under a mayor and a majority of city council members, who range from incompetent to followers of ideologies that prevent them from seeing the world as it actually is. A serious city council candidate should have already been running for months now. As usual, that's not happening.
Forget about Sue McCloud's self-proclaimed glowing legacy. If she is remembered at all in years to come, she will be remembered for the toxic workplace she engineered with Rich Guillen.
Micro-manager Mayor Sue McCloud's vengeance has finally Met her Match. What goes around, finally comes around! Too bad it has taken nine plus years.
I pray the mayor, council members and city administrator are all capable of seeing that their resignations are their only way to preserve what little dignity they have left, which is next to nothing.
Where's the outrage? Carmelites have become do desensitized to corrupt city government they do not see it even when it makes the front pages of local newspapers.
Time will tell if Sue has left herself enough wiggle room to get herself out of this mess. I predict the fall guy will eventually be Rich Guillen. He will be paid off to retire and the city will give Jane Miller a generous settlement. There will be no trial with negative repercussions to the mayor. But you never know, maybe there will be some surprises and the whole thing will come out about her and poor, little, corrupt Carmel.
It took the Carmel Pine Cone, Monterey County Weekly and The Monterey County Herald nine years to report on Carmel’s toxic and “illegal” workplace environment at City Hall. That fact alone tells me these newspapers have a dearth of sources in Carmel to tell reporters what is really happening in Carmel. All these newspapers act as Carmel mayor’s cheerleader when she does good and her shield from accountability when she does badly. Why? Everywhere else mayors are held responsible for the actions of their city managers, especially and including the execution of policies set by mayors and councils.
And why would three anonymous sources in the Weekly article not want their identities revealed? They cannot fear the city administrator, he has been discredited, but they can fear the mayor whose power is undiminished and media status unchanged i.e., the untouchable darling of the media.
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