Former Costa Mesa City Manager Sues After Dismissal

News Summary

Lori Ann Farrell Harrison, the former City Manager of Costa Mesa, has filed a legal complaint against the City Council for termination she claims was retaliation for reporting the Mayor’s alleged misconduct. The complaint raises concerns about how the Council handled her dismissal and adherence to public meeting laws. Harrison is seeking reinstatement or an in-camera review of the documents surrounding her termination. The situation has caused divisions among Council members and raised questions about the governance of the city.

Costa Mesa – Former Costa Mesa City Manager Lori Ann Farrell Harrison has filed a legal complaint against the Costa Mesa City Council following her termination on May 6. In the complaint submitted to the Orange County Superior Court on July 7, Harrison alleges that her dismissal was a retaliation for reporting Mayor John Stephens for several alleged legal violations. The events leading up to her termination have raised questions about the council’s conduct during closed-door meetings.

According to Harrison’s complaint, after she reported her concerns regarding Mayor Stephens, including claims of conflicts of interest and discrimination against city employees, council members began discussing her ouster in closed meetings without proper notice. Harrison contends that instead of investigating her allegations against the mayor, the council proceeded to terminate her contract in a manner that violated public meeting laws.

On March 28, Harrison communicated her concerns about the mayor to three council members. Subsequently, on April 14, the council agreed to initiate an outside investigation into her allegations. However, during the situation, Councilmember Loren Gameros allegedly suggested to Harrison that early retirement might be beneficial for her. Then, on May 6, despite a scheduled performance evaluation, council discussions regarding Harrison’s termination were improperly included in a closed session under the pretext of discussing “potential litigation.”

Harrison had prepared a 14-page workplace complaint detailing the alleged misconduct of Mayor Stephens and a presentation highlighting her accomplishments prior to her termination. On the day she was dismissed, she was expecting feedback on her performance presentation but instead learned of her termination. A motion to terminate her contract was made by Gameros, seconded by Councilmember Mike Buley, and ultimately approved with a vote of 4-2-1. Two council members opposed the termination while Mayor Stephens abstained from voting.

The city attorney, Kimberly Hall Barlow, informed Harrison that her termination was “without cause,” which entitles her to severance pay calculated to be at least $165,108 plus any unused vacation days, based on her salary of $330,216. In her lawsuit, Harrison demands a judicial review of whether the council meetings adhered to the Brown Act, a California law regulating public meeting conduct. She seeks either the reversal of her termination or an “in-camera” review of the documentation that led to the decision.

Currently, the city has not been formally notified of Harrison’s lawsuit but will have 30 days to respond once served. Regarding the internal dynamics of the council, it has been suggested that council members may have shifted the narrative from the mayor’s alleged wrongdoing to focusing blame on Harrison. This potential narrative shift has raised concerns among some council members and community members about the future of the city government.

Following Harrison’s termination, the city has not announced who will replace her or who will serve as acting city manager in her absence. The decision has created divisions among council members, with some expressing frustration and disappointment during council meetings. Council members Reynolds and Marr specifically voiced their concerns regarding the council’s decision-making process and its implications for the city’s governance.

The situation remains unresolved as the community awaits further developments from the city government regarding its next steps and the ongoing legal proceedings initiated by Harrison.

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Additional Resources

• Los Angeles Times: Former Costa Mesa City Manager Opens Up on Firing
• Los Angeles Times: Costa Mesa Explores Code of Ethics
• Orange County Register: Costa Mesa City Council Fires City Manager
• Los Angeles Times: Costa Mesa Taps Deputy Chief for Interim Head
• Los Angeles Times: City Council Votes to Terminate City Manager
• Wikipedia: Costa Mesa, California
• Google Search: Costa Mesa City Council
• Google Scholar: Costa Mesa City Manager
• Encyclopedia Britannica: Costa Mesa
• Google News: Costa Mesa