Seaside City Council, in closed session at their June 6 meeting, voted to terminate the contract of now former city manager Jaime Fontes for no cause.
Fontes has been on administrative leave since April 18.
While it's the end of Fontes’ employment with the city, it might not be last the city hears from him—it’s quite possible he will sue, as he’s alleged the city has not acted in accordance with the law when undertaking sweeping personnel investigations in recent months, conducted by an outside law firm, the reasons for which have not been publicly disclosed.
Per Fontes’ contract, he’s entitled to $125,000 in severance pay—six months of his salary—plus six months of medical benefits.
Seaside posted an opening for an interim city manager position June 7—Seaside Police Chief Nick Borges has been acting city manager since Fontes was put on leave—but the position is only part-time, 25-30 hours per week at $125 an hour.
The city is currently working to put out a request for proposals for a recruiting firm to hire a permanent city manager, but it’s not expected to go out anytime soon—right now the focus is on getting an interim.
Borges say he’s hoping he can get back to full-time police work sooner than later.
“Even though I feel confident I can do both these jobs, the most responsible thing is to put someone in here to focus on the city,” Borges says. “I don’t know if it will be one or two months, but I’m fairly confident it will be this summer.”
Also on June 6, in open session, the council formally approved a settlement agreement with Sacramento-based developer Paul Petrovich that will pay him $850,000 to settle a legal dispute over the development of Seaside’s Main Gate property.
(2) comments
In a decisive move, Seaside, California, has terminated city manager Jaime Fontes, echoing his prior dismissal from Greenfield. Fontes' tenure has been marred by administrative failures and unfulfilled promises, highlighting a troubling pattern of ineffective leadership.
The role of city manager demands strategic foresight and practical execution—qualities Fontes consistently lacked. Internal documents from Greenfield, published post-departure 2019, revealed significant administrative shortcomings, according to the city council at the time. Seaside's recent investigation, leading to his termination, should similarly be made public to ensure transparency and community understanding of the issues at hand.
This termination signals Seaside's commitment to higher standards, rejecting mediocrity in favor of competent and visionary leadership. The publication of the investigation’s findings will reinforce the city's dedication to accountability and informed decision-making.
Seaside is now poised to rebuild trust and pursue a brighter future with leadership that truly serves its residents' best interests.
Very well said Bill Lipe!
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