Dear editor,
On Wednesday, June 15 the Los Banos City Council held an announced closed session meeting to discuss employee termination, dismissal, discipline. This matter required careful, thoughtful consideration, and was not taken lightly. There is no satisfaction in this decision. It is only through objective reasoning and effective consideration can the best decision be made.
The decision to terminate the City Manager was made after careful, thoughtful consideration. Nothing else. These decisions are never easy; however, one must consider the potential impact to the city and its citizens as a whole.
In the meantime, the city is continuing to function. Staff meetings are being held. Projects continue to move forward, and work is being accomplished. The normal process for these situations will be adhered to and all applicable laws will be followed.
There are some questions regarding the city budget which the council voted to approve after conducting a budget workshop. The items approved by the city council were requested by the departments, city needs, public requests, recreation programs, etc…. After justification and questions from council members, this budget was approved.
As a general rule, no one person has the authority to allocate funding for projects. These are decided on by the city council. The city manager is then responsible to marshal the various city departments and resources to implement the budget approved by the city council.
I welcome input from the public. I believe in communication and the exchange of ideas. One can only be guided by duty, respect for our republic and by the oath taken when assuming office. These are what guide my decisions.
Refugio Llamas
Los Banos City Council Member
