Steve Adams files claim against Arroyo Grande

February 14, 2015
Arroyo Grande City Manager Steve Adams

Arroyo Grande City Manager Steve Adams

By KAREN VELIE

Less than a month after the Arroyo Grande City Council agreed to pay former city manager Steve Adams a $71,000 settlement, Adams filed a claim of involuntary separation with the city’s insurance carrier.

If the California Joint Powers Insurance Authority approves Adams’ claim, he could receive up to six months’ salary under the city’s executive separation insurance coverage. The claim, which is in addition to the $71,000 settlement already approved by the city, is for approximately $107,000.

If Adams get another job or retires, the monthly payments terminate before the six month period ends.

On Oct. 1, Adams announced his resignation after being the focal point of a summer-long sex scandal. In his letter of resignation, Adams stated that his departure from the city would occur after he participated in the recruitment process for a new city manager.

However, the city council elected to place Adams on paid administrative leave and did not permit him to participate in the selection of a new city manager.

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The possibility of AG being exposed to more litigation from Adams falls on the shoulders of Carmel.

His primary job is to minimize the city’s exposure.

At this point, could there be one good reason to keep him on?


Because he knows where Brown, Guthrie and Barneich’s skeletons are buried. The only reason I can see as why these three still protect him


Dam money chasers…..


Usually the dude ends up paying dearly for a scandalous roll in the hay. Looks like us poor taxpayers are the ones getting boned for this happy ending.


CARMEL MUST GO

NOW AND FOREVER!!!


As my midwestern mother used to say, “There are no unwilling doormats.”


Our new mayor and the members of the City Council need to grow a set and come out swinging at Adams. At this point, the mayor and City council are complicit in Adams’ reaming of the Arroyo Grande residents because–based on Adams’ complete lack of character–it has been clear for quite some time that Adams is not a man of his word.


The mayor and city council gave away the farm to Adams in an attempt to sweet talk him into just going away…and, along the way, they failed to look out for our best interests.


Slick dooshes like Adams care zip about the people who pay their salary. It is time our city government gets with the program and give him a good legal kick right in the nuts (metaphorically speaking).


We have Adams on one hand, the SSLOCSD scam artists on the other, and it is the people of Arroyo Grande who being squeezed out of every last penny we have.


It has to stop, and now.


Time to fight the next battle with south county sanitation district this week.

They are playing the waiting game with the ratepayers. Want us to go away without audit or full disclosure.

For people like Guerrero,they hide behind the office and democracy to abuse power.

The reason we need this audit is because they represent the people.

What are they hiding from and why are they all working so hard to block the will of the people !


There is no need to fear an audit if you have nothing to hide.

The reluctance of Shoals and Guerrero, along with Sweet, signals an audit would reveal things they would rather the public not know.

This is the best reason to have an audit. Bring it on.


Well Said Mary ! Cheers!!!..


Did You Guys ever stop To think Maybe , There Might be Pay Offs & crooked Things Going on All over In Arroyo Grande? Was there any pay offs???


Think About it this Whole thing is Rather twisted.. I question , all The Old guard Leadership..


They are far too inter twined .. Something still smells fishy.. too many people covering each others backs.. still even now.. too many turf wars still happening why?


Just a few thoughts .. normal people do not act like these guys , shades of Old Pismo days?


Why on earth would anyone threaten to sue when they made such a mess, I


find the whole concept Insane both Adams & the current Board of leadership.. , so called


Ask your self would your threaten to sue .. can anyone tell how Mr adams can think he will find another city to hire him.. forgive me , normal people think like this , WTF.


Recall!!!


Dear AG City leaders,


Adams has fooled us out of $71,000, shame on him.

If he fools us out of $107,000 more- – -shame on YOU!


Please terminate the services of Mr. Carmel, it is PAST time for him to go.

The fact that Adams’ attorney has even a whiff of a win is clear proof Carmel is out of his league, or in cahoots with Adams (as many suspected all along).


Our city has not missed the services of Adams one itty, bitty bit.

McCall is a breath of fresh air, has stepped up like a champ,

and is proof that we do not need fear replacing long time employees

if they have acted improperly. Just because he’s been there a long time is NOT a reason to keep Carmel.


Harmon, or Brown, put the review of Carmel’s contract on the agenda,

and let’s be done with him. There’s little hope either Barneich or Guthrie will make a move, Ferrara is most likely still whispering in their ears.


All of these city manager’s write their own contract. They know all of the ins and outs of how to rob the system if they get in trouble. CCN should review all of the contracts of the 7 incorporated city manager’s and I’m sure that they will all be structured very similar to Mr. Adams. As usual, the councils says yes to any contract just to get someone that they think are qualified. And as usual, it’s not their money so who really cares except for us taxpayers.

We all need to start caring and watchdog these individuals.


Paavo Ogren,, Ratepayers have a real problem with his $ 250, 000= salary + benefits+ paying Full retirement contribution to PERS !

Then giving him unlimited powers, without internal checks and balances.


Oceano CSD is a small district, with few employees, in a poor area.


This is a great example of writing your own contract and using it as a pension spike that will place ratepayers and the district at risk for years.


I agree whispering .. why else would anyone make a deal like that , my guess is there are some naked photo’s floating around..


Still waiting for Ferrara to come out of hiding,

and once again, tell us what a nice guy Mr Adams is.


Ditto!

The Tribune above the fold again this AM.

Adams will,get $250 grand for leaving his post that he must have spent ample work time investigating how to get as much as he can from the city.


Now it’s Mrs. McClish’s turn.

Can’t she find a job elsewhere?


I’m hoping she sees the light, likes her job, and decides not to follow Steve into the money grabbing pit.


She already made a decision, at least twice that we know of, to have an improper “tea party” with her boss, so doing what is moral and right for the residents of Arroyo Grande isn’t her strong suit. When she finally leaves I predict the lawsuit, or at least threat of one to follow.


Here’s one that I can’t believe got by. IF whatever said morons hammered out this SETTLEMENT with him, WHY didn’t they do like a lot of things that are SETTLEMENT and have him sign an agreement that he would pursue no further legal action as it regards to this incident???


Good question and one that needs to be asked at the next city council meeting on Feb 24, and if you are reading this Mayor Hill. we deserve an answer.


No doubt Adams and his attorney will claim this is a different animal.

First threat of litigation was against the city itself.

This claim is to the city’s insurance company, so nothing personal folks.

Who’s next, Steve?


No – this time he’s gone too far! Stop the rein of intimidation and money grabbing! Let’s hire a new city attorney (Fire Carmel!) then go to trial. Let a jury of his peers deliberate on the truth; uncover the sordid details, get sworn testimony from former officials, and Adams will L-O-S-E!


Spend this money on a new lawyer, so this man’s fleecing of Arroyo Grande stops. Reversed the settlements, thereby ruin his future career prospects. He wants to play hardball, so can we, the citizens outraged by this escalation!

This demand is over the top, so let a jury decide who owes whom, and for what.

Take him on, fire Carmel a.s.a.p.