The Isleton City Council removed Iva Walton from the mayor’s position Tuesday night after a grand jury report accused her of violating the city’s code of conduct. The meeting quickly devolved into chaos, with commenters lobbing insults and swearing at members of the dais.
According to the June grand jury report, Walton used public land for outdoor seating and event space at a bar she owns called the Mei Wah Beer Room. Walton has denied wrongdoing and insists she never accepted any favorable treatment.
“I feel proper procedure was not followed and the complaints were largely personal attacks and had nothing to do with the leadership I brought to the chair/mayor council position,” she told KCRA after Tuesday’s meeting.
The civil grand jury’s criticism went far beyond Walton’s “use of public land for personal gain.” The report, titled “On the Brink of Bankruptcy: Isleton’s Failure to Govern,” also accused the previous council and staff of the following:
Failure to adopt timely budgets and conduct required audits
Failure to maintain adequate financial records
Improper oversight of city operations and spending
Improper oversight of local cannabis businesses
Commingling of restricted funds
Misuse of public funds
Failure to obey the city’s Code of Conduct
Violations of state law
A “historical failure of governance” by the former City Council and staff contributed to a fiscal crisis, grand jurors said, and Iselton declared a fiscal emergency in 2024. The city is now trying to avoid insolvency. On the same night that the city council voted to strip Walton of her title and appoint David Kent to the role, leaders approved a letter requesting an $800,000 loan from Sacramento County.