The wrangling over Santa Ana City Manager David Cavazos’ job is finally coming to an end, although something tell us the spectacle is far from over. David Cavazos has agreed to resign with a severance deal approved 4 to 2 by the city council. He will walk out with $343,224—a year’s worth of compensation—plus unused sick and vacation time and another $3,500 in attorney’s fees.
Cavazos’ departure takes effect as soon as he receives his first severance payment, which is expected on or before Jan. 24. The full agreement is available in its entirety here.
The deal was supported by Mayor Miguel Pulido and council members Michele Martinez, Jose Solorio and Juan Villegas. David Benavides and Sal Tinajero—supporters of Cavazos—voted no, with Tinajero calling it “a blatant hijacking of the city government.”
Cavazos was placed on paid leave earlier this month following a romantic relationship he had carried on with a city employee. A report previously concluded there was no violation of city policy, but that Cavazos’ actions had exposed the city to potential liability. His supporters have called the entire ordeal a political witch hunt.
Much of the acrimony at Santa Ana City Hall appears to have begun with a spate of shootings which California City News reported on last year. To learn more about the city infighting and the role that Santa Ana’s crime wave played, be sure to check out this article at the Orange County Register.