Lindemann calls to eliminate CAO position; council votes to address bridges

Published 1:30 pm Tuesday, December 4, 2018

Weston Lindemann, the Ward 5 City Council representative, proposed cutting the city administrative officer position Tuesday at a City Council meeting, saying Mayor Percy Bland used CAO Richie McAlister as a “crutch.”

Lindemann said the administration had lied in previous council meetings and the mayor refused to answer questions.

“I propose we consider repealing (Section 2 of the Municipal Code) and take away his crutch and let the mayor do what he was elected to do,” Lindemann said. 

Lindemann has frequently clashed with the administration since the 2017 election, even asking for a state auditor to investigate the city’s finances. 

“It’s gotten to the point where we wonder where the mayor is at on these issues,” Lindemann said, saying Bland has declined to respond to these allegations in the past. “If we do this, then we know the problem isn’t just the CAO it’s the mayor.”

McAlister declined to comment but Bland refuted Lindemann’s comments.

“I do engage with the council, I don’t engage in foolery (with Lindemann),” Bland said. “I feel like (repealing the CAO position) is probably what he’s wanted to do for a long time.”

Bland cited instances when he said he’d responded to allegations but Lindemann hadn’t admitted wrongdoing, such as Lindemann’s accusations that the administration had city Tahoes following him, the $2 million budget dispute and Lindemann calling Ward 2 voters “ignorant” in a recording.

“I have not had communication with Mr. Lindemann in regards to things going on in his ward … that’s what I think we should be engaging in,” Bland said. “We have the time two weeks before these meetings to communicate these issues and the council meetings are not the forum to hash out these issues.”

Bland added to his comments Tuesday afternoon.

“It’s unwise to eliminate the position that runs day-to-day government,” Bland said, saying that McAlister coordinated many of the city’s projects and plans. “It’s unwise and unconscionable.”

Council took no action on Lindemann’s proposal.

In other business, the council voted to call a state of emergency to hasten repairs on three separate bridges: Valley Road, Hawkins Crossing Road and Old Highway 80.

Both Valley Road and Hawkins Crossing have been closed. Valley Road bridge, just south of I-20/59, blocks access to employer Atlas Roofing… while Hawkins Crossing Road, just off of Highway 11/80, affects residential access. 

“These bridges were recently inspected by (the office of) State Aid and they reported deficiencies,” Hugh Smith, the city’s public works director, said. “They found issues with some specific pilings… the bridges as a whole are sound.”

The steel bridges had issues with rust and corrosion and were closed earlier this week.

The city previously attempted to address concerns with the bridge on Old Highway 11/80, just west of Western Gardens, but knew it wouldn’t last.

“We closed it years ago and put a temporary fix on that bridge… but we knew it was temporary,” Smith said. 

Declaring a state of emergency allows the city to begin securing bids immediately, rather going through the weeks-long process, Smith said. Smith also suggested the council apply for the state’s fund for emergency road and bridge repairs, a fund designed to rebuild bridges that have an effect on economical development.

“It’s going to be difficult to get funding for all three but maybe we can get at least one,” Smith said. “We need to move forward.”