Business as usual as accuser and accused meet face-to-face at Carmel City Council meeting.

Two months ago, Kim Stemler told Carmel city officials that she endured "pervasive sexualization" in her business dealings with Mayor Steve Dallas for four years.

At the Feb. 6 Carmel City Council meeting, Stemler—the executive director of the Monterey County Vintners and Growers Association—stood before Dallas as he sat behind the dais several feet away.

It wasn't about her accusations, however, nor about the subsequent investigation by the city that was announced on Jan. 9.

Stemler was there on business, to ask for authorization to close city streets and allow alcohol consumption at her organization's 26th Annual Winemakers' Celebration on May 5.

Dressed all in black—a recent symbol of the #MeToo movement—Stemler was all smiles as she politely answered questions posed by Councilmember Carolyn Hardy. 

Hardy was concerned because last year there were complaints about noise from a DJ spinning recorded music.

She also was worried the event falls on Cinco de Mayo, "one of the biggest binge drinking days of the year."

Stemler—who joked that wine and binge-drinking don't go together—said the organization would switch to live music and pay for a second off-duty police officer.

Hardy also wanted to make sure that besides barricades to close down sections of Dolores Street, there would also be vehicles strategically placed there.

"We don't want to put Carmel on the map for something like a car plowing through," Hardy said. "I just wanted to clear up those things."

The council voted 5-0 to authorize the event.

Just moments before the discussion about the winemakers' event, City Attorney Glen Mozingo announced that the investigation into Dallas' conduct is expected to come to a conclusion by the end of February.

Mozingo said he expects a report from the investigator hired by the city to be on his desk by the end of the month.

(The investigator is reportedly Irma Rodriguez Moisa of the firm Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud and and Romo. Mozingo and City Administrator Chip Rerig have repeatedly refused to confirm the identity or pay rate of the investigator to the Weekly.)

Mozingo said once he receives the report, he will sit down with two new attorneys (his deputy and assistant) to review the findings, and from there it will go to the council in closed session.

Mozingo said it will then be opened up to the public to ask questions, possibly at a meeting in early March.