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Steve Adams threatens to sue Arroyo Grande

January 18, 2015
City Manager Steve Adams and Teresa McClish

City Manager Steve Adams and Teresa McClish

BY KAREN VELIE

Former Arroyo Grande City Manager Steve Adams filed a claim against the city last week threatening a lawsuit if the council does not extend his paid administrative leave for six months. The city will meet in closed session on Jan. 22 at 7 p.m. to discuss the threat of litigation.

Following a Sept. 17 Arroyo Grande Police Officers’ Association vote of no confidence, on Oct. 1 Adams announced his resignation.

“My resignation will become effective once my replacement has been hired and starts work,” Adams says in his letter. “My primary motivation is to serve the best interests of the community I cherish so much.”

Last week, the city hired interim City Manager Robert McFall. Though the city accepted Adams resignation in September, he was able draw full pay until last week when McFall was hired.

Nevertheless, Adams is claiming that his resignation was to take place after a permanent and not an interim city manager was hired. He is demanding six months paid administrative leave along with retirement benefits.

Adams is currently 54-years-old and will turn 55 in late 2015. If the council agrees to extend his paid administrative leave and he utilizes his accrued vacation and sick leave, he could greatly increase his monthly retirement package from the city.

In his resignation letter, Adams also praised former Mayor Tony Ferrara and City Attorney Tim Carmel and chastised those who said there was a cover-up.

On Nov. 19, after reviewing the investigation into the alleged sex scandal., the Arroyo Grande City Council voted unanimously to place Adams on paid administrative leave where he remained until last week.

During the November meeting, Councilman Tim Brown admitted that Carmel had informed him of a previous inappropriate incident involving Adams and Community Development Director Teresa McClish, a subordinate employee. Brown’s statement came on the heels of repeated claims by city officials that there was no evidence that Adams and McClish were involved in a romantic relationship, nor was there any proof of a cover-up by Ferrara and the council.

Nevertheless, because the previous council voted to give Adams a verbal reprimand as punishment his late night rendezvous with McClish’s July City Hall, the newly seated council cannot terminate him for cause related to that event.

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As it became apparant that Adams might be forced to leave his city manager job it is highly probable that he asked CALPERS to conduct an actuarial on his pension based on years of service and pay rate. This info might be available based on a PRR to City of AG and it may shed light on his strategy in prolonging his employment. In any case, what he is doing is unethical (IMO).


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With Steve gone, we will begin to hear more

about how his unethical behavior didn’t just begin on July 3rd.

His $$$ grabbing threat simply follows the pattern

of a man who had a lot of folks fooled with his “nice guy”

According to some, Steve did a lot of good,

but his unethical side was barely below the surface for years.


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pay me $150K salary plus loaded benefits, perks and retirement, and I’ll do even more good, and an even better job.


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Asking purely out of curiosity (being nosy): does anyone know what is the actual status of Steve Adams’s marriage? And McClish’s marriage?


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Honestly Jack, that’s Steve’s problem.

I only care when Steve becomes OUR problem.


Same goes for Teresa, aka Trish.


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QUOTING THE ARTICLE: “Nevertheless, Adams is claiming that his resignation was to take place after a permanent and not an interim city manager was hired.”


——————–


Did Adams ever actually submit a formal resignation letter?


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That, dear Mary, is the million $$$$ question!


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Steve: The day will come when you will realize that 6 months pay was not enough to live with the legacy you are leaving with this law suit.


Regardless of the details contributing to your departure, the lawsuit, or threat of one, firmly cements our resolve to be rid of you, because Steve is about Steve, and no one else.


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Makes you wonder…

at what point does Steve start to think about his wife, and girls?


When is enough, enough Steve?


You’re right, JB. That money isn’t going to make a rat’s rear’s

difference to those kids when their Dad’s reputation hounds them.


I feel so sorry for those girls.


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The special AG Council meeting on the 21rst is to determine the course of action regarding FORMER city manager Steve Adams demands.


As this is a legal matter the council will be advised by city attorney Tim Carmel who worked with Adams for years. HE SHOULD RECUSE HIMSELF!


The 5 council members will ultimately decide the path of this issue that will cost dearly no matter the outcome.


Jim Hill will probably do what’s best for the citizens of AG


Barbara Harmon will probably do what’s best for the citizens of AG


Jim Guthrie will probably do what’s best for Steve Adams


Kristen Barneich will probably do what’s best for Steve Adams


Tim Brown will probably do what’s best for Tim Brown.


REMEMBER TIM BROWN STATED PUBLICALLY THAT HE WAS INFORMED OF OTHER INDESCREPENCIES BETWEEN ADAMS AND McCLISH PRIOR TO THE JULY INCIDENT.


IF THIS HAD BEEN DISCLOSED THEN THE EVIDENCE AGAINST ADAMS WOULD HAVE BEEN SUFFICIENT ENOUGH FOR ADAMS TO PROBABLY QUIETLY RESIGN AND NONE OF THIS ONGOING FIASCO WOULD HAVE EVER HAPPENED!


TIM BROWN SHOULD RESIGN IN TEARS FOR NOT DISCLOSING WHAT HE KNEW SOONER THAT HAS HURT THE CITIZENS OF AG SO VERY MUCH!


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You forgot one…


Tim Carmel (if he’s back from vacation and able to do so) will do what’s best for he AND Steve Adams.


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Everybody, please STOP writing about this because Tim Carmel is LIKELY BILLING the city as he reads AND ponders these comments!


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WTF you’re kidding; right?


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QUOTING APATHY WILL KILL YOU: “As this is a legal matter the council will be advised by city attorney Tim Carmel who worked with Adams for years. HE SHOULD RECUSE HIMSELF!


—————————–


Screw that crap. The AG City Council should tell Carmel to step aside and the CC should get other legal representation.


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Carmel should step aside… PERMANENTLY!


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Permanently, AND IMMEDIATELY!!!


Before he has a chance to get his grubby little mitts

on one more thing, and screws IT up TOO!


Would love Council to make review of Mr. Carmel’s contract a priority before he get the opportunity to represent us for another $$$$ month.


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Everybody, please STOP writing about this because Tim Carmel is LIKELY BILLING the city as he reads AND ponders these comments!


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Post away folks. I hope Carmel the fool is reading this.


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Another way to look it at is if Tim Brown DID disclose additional discrepancies between Adams and McLish and Adams DID quietly RESIGN right after the July incident then….


Tony Ferrara would probably still be mayor


Costello might have been re-elected


South County Sanitation district would probably never get audited


Carmel would probably remain as AG counsel


Seitz would probably remain as South San counsel


No money would have been paid for internal attorney and outside investigations


THANKS TIM


PS. sadly the benches outside city council chambers would have not gotten painted


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I have a question about this statement:


“Tim Brown stated publicly that he was informed of other indescrepencies between Adams and McClish prior to the July incident.”


This could be taken two ways:


1. When I heard Tim Brown mention this, I took his statement to be that he was just informed (in November, I believe) that there had been a prior incident to the one that took place on July 3rd.


2. Or was it that he was informed about the first incident before the July 3rd date?


There is a big difference between these 2 scenarios, and it would be good to clear this up before I have to make a voting decision regarding Tim Brown.


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When Tim Brown broke the news that this was not the first time, he shared that Carmel told him that Ferrara wanted to keep it all to himself and that Big Tony and Carmel had already dealt with Steve and Mrs. Mc Clish prior to July 3rd.


So the Council as a whole, when they gave Steve that verbal reprimand ( you are such a bad boy! ) KNEW THIS WAS NOT THE FIRST TIME!!!!!!


It was as if they were disappointed he got a caught.


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Everybody, please STOP writing about this because Tim Carmel is LIKELY BILLING the city as he reads AND ponders these comments!


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Bullseye

The entire City Council, Rose and Steve and KB are too.

Yay!


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I think you may be making some assumptions there.


The rest of the council members could have been informed of the previous incident much later than that verbal reprimand was issued. It could have been any time up to the night that Brown mentioned it which was also the night that they took more action against Adams.


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Knowing that Brown was not one of Ferrara’s favorites

makes me inclined to believe he would have been

THE LAST ONE TO KNOW.

Perhaps that’s why he spoke out,

maybe he was tired of being the last one to know,

and decided things needed to change.

Sometimes I’m more inclined to give him the benefit of the double,

cuz we sure aren’t going to learn anything from the other two hold-overs.

KB and Guthrie are still in Camp Tony, IMO.


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Steve Adams sues and wins; AG taxpayers lose.


Steve Adams sues and loses and attorney fees defending the suit result in a great loss to AG taxpayers.


It’s not a win win for anybody (except the attorneys) – it’s a lose lose for AG taxpayers!


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How about this one….


Steve Adams sues and loses and is required to pay City of Arroyo Grande’s costs


Yes AG’s new city attorney receives money, not AG taxpayers, Steve Adam’s attorney receives money, again not AG taxpayers……


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I choose Kayaknut’s scenario!


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Everybody, please STOP writing about this because Tim Carmel is LIKELY BILLING the city as he reads AND ponders these comments!


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Bullseye

Do not miss the meeting Thursday in AG at 7 pm

Hopefully Adams attorney will be there.


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Bullseye, PLEASE QUIT SPAMMING.


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Could it be that Adams is simply shootin’ to be among the Year’s Top 10 News Stories

for 2014 AND 2015?


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How many more times will CCN use that uncomfortable photograph of Adams and Mrs. McClish?


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Can’t be often enough for me.


This whole mess was outed with the Adams/McClish pathetic and sad secret sex affair. They have already tried to cover it up enough. CCN doesn’t have to help them to do it.


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Yes, sadly, it will be necessary for a lot more of Steve’s dirty laundry to be aired before his supporters face reality.

The tangled web Tony, Steve, And Carmel spun for all those years, as Guthrie, Ray, Costello, Barneich, Brown and ??? looked on, needs to be undone.


None of them will get off looking good when all is said and done, either because they knew and did nothing, or were innocently following Tony, not doing their homework or being free thinkers.


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Don’t worry about a new job Steve, you are perfectly qualified for a management position at SLO City. With your level of narcissism, refusal to take responsibility for your own actions, and misuse of your position of power, you will be a shoe in for a top SLO City management position. There’s no doubt that licktig and irons will welcome you with open arms to their city where narcissistic overpaid managers who commit sexual misdeeds with subordinates are celebrated. Maybe the trib can make a new category for their hand job top 40 awards and maybe the SLO Chamber can have you as their man of the year.


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My initial thought is to tell Mr. Adams go ahead and sue and then to tell the city council to take this to court, that way even when the Sintra Group could or would not take interviews under oath, in a court of law these interviews/testimonies/questioning would be under oath, and we might have a chance to hear the truth.


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While it certainly would be nice to finally hear the truth,

we have to wonder if it would be worth the cost to residents.


After all, most of us have a pretty good idea what the truth is,

how much do we need to spend prove we were right all along?

What will it change?


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Cost might be an issue, but if Mr. Adams, when he loses, and we know he would if the truth is told, was held to pay “all” attorney (not Mr. Carmel because by the time this goes to trial hopefully he is fired) and city’s costs, my thought is he would not want this to go to trial and that this is just a scare tactic trying to keep and increase his feeding at the trough


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Cost WILL be an issue, but I’m with you kayak,

I don’t think Steve has an “I’m too drunk to walk home” leg to stand on.


This is nothing more than a pathetic last minute grab into the Halloween candy bowl before he dashes away—hopefully for good!


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And… It was quite a Halloween for Steve dressed up as public art painted in bronze like an Oscar.

The only time Inheard evidence he had balls.


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Oh, I remember…his wife’s trophy.

Hope she has his you-know-what’s in her purse for safe keeping these days!


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It could be he is trying to get his way re: staying as long as he wants as City Manager by threatening legal action.


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I agree…and it would be a lesson to other frauds like Adams who might want to try to take advantage of what AG used to be like under Ferrara—open for fraud, for a price.


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Aw the Sintra Group investigation, where they were only looking for “substantive evidence”


This was not the directive from the Council?

Oh,thats right, the Council did not want to perform an independent investigation so they did not provide specific directions what they were looking for.


Githrie reported it out

Paid until an interim was hired .

Sorry Steve you do not get to choose.

Enjoy your coffee with Big Tony

Oh the regrets……..


Did you really think in such a small community you and Mrs. McClish could keep your relationship a secret forever?


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The relationship was ANYTHING but a secret, but allowed to continue because


We had a Mayor who was the “see not evil” monkey


A City Attorney who was the “hear no evil” monkey


And the rest of the council wanted to believe Steve was the “do no evil” monkey


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