By Robert Haugh
Today, an emergency closed session has been requested by four City Council members. The purpose is for a “public employee discipline/dismissal/release.” It’ll happen at 5 p.m.
The requesting document was signed by Councilmembers Anthony Becker, Raj Chahal, Karen Hardy and Kevin Park.
The City Council only hires two employees: the City Manager and the City Attorney. So it’s expected that City Manager Deanna Santana will be dismissed.
Five months ago, the 49er Five fired then-City Attorney Brian Doyle without cause. That was the first time a City Council fired a City Attorney in Santa Clara history.
The 49ers wanted Doyle to be removed. Doyle frequently challenged the legality of how the team operated.
The City Attorney’s position is still unfilled. The City is having difficulty finding a replacement because of the new City Council majority and the toxic work environment.
If the Council dismisses Santana, it will be the first time a City Manager is fired in Santa Clara history.
The 49ers have been publicly criticizing Santana for years, as she has questioned their spending and accounting practices.
According to a reliable source, Santana has been discussed in multiple meetings between the 49ers and City Councilmembers recently. It’s even listed as a topic on Councilmembers’ calendars.
Vice Mayor Suds Jain did not sign the document. Jain was also absent from Tuesday night’s City Council meeting. Jain has voted on behalf of 49er interests without fail since he was elected in 2020. So he’s expected to side with the Council majority.
49ers owner Jed York spent $3 million on behalf of Jain, Becker and Park in the 2020 Council elections. The three candidates were previously 0-6 in city elections before York opened his wallet to get them elected.
This article is misleading in stating, “the three candidates (Jain, Becker and Park ) were previously 0-6 in city elections before York opened his wallet” as no minority candidate was elected to Santa Clara City Council before a judge ruled in favor of CVRA and ordered the city to establish district voting. The City of Santa Clara spent just as much or more fighting CVRA as the York Foundation spent fighting to support it.
Hosam won a citywide election over a white candidate.
Voters knew they were bad candidates.
They couldn’t get elected until Jed forked
over $3M to buy them a seat on Dias.
Moral of story: Money can buy you
anything including a corrupt council.
I find it astonishing that someone as stupid and ignorant as Anthony Becker can vote to remove Deanna Santana. What a crazy world.
Let’s make sure that can’t happen again.
In the 2022 City Manager’s Draft, the San Francisco 49ers select?
49er 5 who did the 49ers tell you to draft (hire as City Manager)?
You sold your integrity for a campaign contribution.
What happens when a city doesn’t have a lawyer and also can’t write or monitor contracts? Because writing and monitoring contracts is the City Manager’s job. Can Council Members be found liable for incompetence? Because ruining the legal and financial heath and reputation of a city certainly points to irresponsible incompetent behavior.
Santa Clara
Turns out, we can’t wait for the elections, I believe too much damage will be done by then.
Signatures, that’s where we need to start.
I will volunteer to be one of the people who will help to coordinate this.
There is a book I have read, and inside it, there is a passage that says, “Many hands make light work”.
Much like our very public battle with the 49ers in 2015, it took a great ground swell of local support to make the impact we did.
Burt Field
burt.field@gmail.com
Thanks Burt for getting this started. Becker Park and Jain should be the subject of recalls and the sooner the better. Becker is a slam dunk 60 % of his district didn’t want nor voted for him. All three have shown their bought and paid for loyalty to Jed York and the 49ers with zero regard to their constituents and a total lack of civic leadership. Chahal and Hardy can wait for the November election to be voted out of office. It will be interesting to see how much money York puts in to fight the recall effort.
RECALL BECKER JAIN AND PARK!
IT’S TIME TO TAKE OUR CITY BACK!
Robert
No more cute messages. How do we stop them from doing this?
What they have done over such a short period of time is reprehensible by any measure.
They are not my neighbor, they will never be my friend. How they came to represent my best interest is a much bigger question, but for now, all I care about is how do we stop this most current action, and any other cards in the deck they have waiting to play.
Enough
Burt Field
I thought it is illegal for the awful 5 to conspire?
Please explain collusion to Becker…
Finally! It’s time to get rid of her expensive 🐴
It’s time to hire a city manager who works for the city and NOT the mayor!