On Tuesday, the Brentwood City Council will discuss the ability of the City Council to mandate the internal investigations of certain employees.
The request came after the council wanted to insert itself in performing internal investigations with employees. This was clarified by both former City Attorney Damien Brower and outside legal council per the Nov 14 meeting meeting — which he explained the council evaluates the city manager and the city attorney only per the law.
Tuesdays item, under future agenda item requests, was requested by Councilmembr Jovita Mendoza. The item does not provide any other information of what employees they would want to mandate investigations on or what departments.
At the Dec 12 meeting, Mendoza made the request stating she talked to other council bodies who have said “yes” they can ask for internal investigations.
“I would like to see the legal reasons why our city cannot do that,” stated Mendoza who said she has talked to other cities and how they got around the law and doing it.
Per the Staff Report:
On September 12, 2023, Vice Mayor Meyer, and Council Members Mendoza and Pierson requested future agenda items generally related to issues at the Brentwood Senior Activity Center, and customer satisfaction of recreational programming.
On September 26, 2023, the City Council directed staff to spend staff time and resources on items I.2.A and I.2B. and I.2.C all-inclusive of the details included in the staff reports for those items, excepting items directly related to any staff identifying information and personnel information, including:
- Interview all the staff and all the stakeholders that participate in the programming of all of those facilities and programs
- Former employees who are residents if they’d like to participate
- Include seniors and any participants in programming with the Parks and Rec Investigation be independent
- Staff time and resources to create an RFP to be reviewed by Council
- Set the budget amount for the investigation at $100k
- The full list of items for investigations specific to the senior center
- Questions on the survey for residents questions related to Youth services
- Include in the RFP for consultant to put together a survey to encompass all of the various requests that you’ve mentioned tonight
- Independently created, independently evaluated, and then presented to the city council
- Additional programming based on the Survey with all programming in Parks and Recreation to be included
- Add facilities and customer service
- Council will authorize the RFP unless that authority is delegated
- Current non-profit and CBO partnerships and those terminated since 2019 including reasons for termination
- Current MOU use those that expired since 2019 and those about to expire
- Current programs, special projects, events and activities and those terminated since 2019, including reasons for termination
- How staff is chosen to work at the center
- How training is managed for that staff, whether temporary or long term
- Senior related experience qualifications of leadership positions of regular center staff, including everything considered when placing staff there
- Any future plans being explored that potentially change the format infrastructure or offerings of the senior center
- Yearly attending number since 2019
- Confirmation of language and cultural access efforts
- The on-site schedule for Parks and Rec leadership
- The status of the previously printed Brentwood seniors’ activities guide
- Include facility usage of the senior center
- Effectiveness of the programming customer service
- Recommendations from the Parks and Commission, on how we can ensure a positive experience for our residents.
- A review of staffing levels in over the last 3 years in Parks and Recreation
- With organizational charts and position and attrition over the 3 years and reason for leaving (general without names or position titles, should not be employee specific)
- The City Attorney has the authority to use staff time and resources time and resources to run our motion past outside council
On November 14, 2023, the City Council City Council, by motion, authorized staff to issue a Request for Proposal for Consultant to assist with Brentwood Senior Center Operational Assessment & Citywide Recreational Customer Satisfaction Survey. As a part of this discussion the subject of performing internal investigations was raised, and clarified by former City Attorney, Damien Brower, that the form of government in Brentwood doesn’t allow the Council to be involved in City Manager employee investigations/personnel actions, and this was confirmed by outside legal counsel specializing in employment law.
Brentwood City Council Meeting
City Council Chambers
150 City Park Way, Brentwood, CA 94513
City Council Zoom Link
Full Agenda: Click here
3 comments
This lady is something else. She is really great for improving moral in the city of Brentwood.
She wastes so much time out of these meetings. Never feels like real issues are addressed.
The voters of Brentwood need to investigate turning Ms. Medoza out of office.
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