Stockton must pay its former city manager, Kurt Wilson, $2,298,278.46 after a jury concluded he had been wrongfully terminated. The jury found the City Council violated California’s open-meeting law when it voted to dismiss him.
Wilson was terminated in 2019 by a 6-0 vote. The city alleged he’d been “spending egregious amounts of time doing projects unrelated to his employment as the city manager during working hours.”
Wilson filed a lawsuit accusing the City Council of violating the Brown Act.
“San Joaquin County Superior Court Judge Jayne Lee announced the judgment for Wilson following a jury trial that ended in May that also heard the city’s cross-complaint,” Stocktonia reports. “While Wilson was awarded $360.674 in damages, the city prevailed on a claim of $18,152 — for a net to Wilson of $342,522. Additional awards were made to Wilson, however, with the total — $2,298,278.46 — coming from six different actions, including more than $1 million in fees. One of the larger fees related to Wilson’s use of the California Public Records Act, which totaled $499,618.52, not including interest.”
“We are obviously disappointed but believe we had cause to terminate,” Mayor Christina Fugazi remarked. “The jury disagreed, and under the contract the city is responsible for attorney’s fees.”
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