Vallejo council members to discuss Nyhoff at closed door meeting next week
(Graphic by Solano NewsNet)
Some Vallejo city council members have lost confidence in the town’s city manager and at least one member has strongly suggested that the council is moving toward calling for his resignation, according to a report published on Saturday.
Details of the city council’s view toward City Manager Greg Nyhoff came to light in a Vallejo Times-Herald article days after he took an unexpected leave of absence. There is speculation that the absence was triggered by a harassment complaint filed against Nyhoff by the town’s housing development manager, Judy Shepard-Hall.
A spokesperson for the City of Vallejo initially said she was unsure why Nyhoff was absent from the meeting, then later confirmed to the news outlet that the city manager had taken an extended leave of absence for medical reasons. The newspaper said some city officials speculated that Nyhoff took a leave of absence to make his removal from office more difficult.
“Retaliation for taking sick leave is illegal,” a source purportedly told the newspaper. “It might be hard to prove that the dismissal in these circumstances is not retaliation.”
City managers typically serve in a role that is similar to a chief executive at a corporation; they guide council members and other local regulatory bodies on the decision-making practices and oversee various other functions of city government. Some council members told the newspaper they were no longer satisfied with Nyhoff’s job performance and would be discussing his potential liability toward the city at a closed door meeting next week.
In addition to the harassment complaint, Nyhoff faces a slew of questions concerning local matters, including the police department’s recent decision to open a community care center that some complained was ill-timed given the agency’s public scrutiny concerning the fatal shooting of Sean Monterrosa and other issues.
There is also speculation that Nyhoff ordered the city’s public works department to refurbish a building on Mare Island that was filled with asbestos. The Times-Herald said the union representing those workers is investigating the issue, but no lawsuit has been brought over the incident.
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