By: Marilyn Cohen | Original Article at pe.com
Beaumont City Manager Alan Kapanicas was placed on administrative leave during a special meeting Friday night, May 29, in the wake of three major issues facing the city — including a raid on City Hall by the FBI.
The council voted 4-0, with Jeff Fox absent, to accept Kapanicas’ offer to step aside immediately so city business would not be disrupted.
In another 4-0 vote, council members decided to discuss selecting an interim city manager when they meet again Tuesday, June 2.
None of the council members discussed the decision after the vote and it was not disclosed if Kapanicas will be paid while on leave.
Kapanicas, 62, has worked in Beaumont since 1993, first as a contract employee before being put on the city payroll in 2011.
The move came after council members spent about 75 minutes in closed session discussing the future of Kapanicas in the wake of three major issues facing the city.
The Riverside County District Attorney’s Office, with help from the FBI, raided City Hall, the office of Urban Logic Consultants, Kapanicas’ home and a Temecula location last month and is investigating the relationship between the city and longtime consultant.
Last week, state Controller Betty Yee announced the city’s books would be investigated over discrepancies between city budget reports and auditor findings.
And Beaumont also is one year into an appeal of a judge’s ruling that it owes more than $50 million in judgments, fees and penalties to a regional transportation agency.
Beaumont City Attorney John Pinkney read a letter from Kapanicas’ attorney Steven Weber stating the manager offered to step aside because speculation over his future could disrupt city business.
“Personnel who are not fully informed as to what is transpiring may be prone to speculation and may be distracted in the performance of their duties pending final resolution of these issues,” Pinkney read from the letter. “Mr. Kapanicas would like to minimize any disruption or adverse effects to the city pending a final determination as to his status and how the city intends to move forward.”
The letter states that Kapanicas was reluctantly volunteering to be placed on administrative leave while the issues are being resolved. Weber wrote that Kapanicas has at all times acted in the best interest of the city.
“It is my client’s sincere hope that these issues will be resolved in an amicable fashion minimizing the negative impact on both the city and Mr. Kapanicas himself,” the letter concluded.
Friday’s meeting was scheduled to continue the council’s evaluation of Kapanicas and consider “disciplinary action and possible dismissal.”
Before the closed session, residents spoke both in favor and against making a change at the top.
Former Councilwoman Nancy Gall said Kapanicas should be fired.
“You have to look at who is responsible for those problems and the person responsible in Alan Kapanicas,” she said. “He needs to go, the sooner the better.”
David Castaldo, another former council member, didn’t flat out support Kapanicas but used a baseball analogy that while everyone thinks they can manage a club, only a few actually have the ability.
“It’s really easy to fire a manager, but it’s hard to find one,” Castaldo said.
He also said a change should not be made unless a solid replacement is in place.
Two bus drivers and two community service workers praised Kapanicas and his leadership.