Ark Valley News - Valley Center councilman clashes with city administrator

Valley Center councilman clashes with city administrator
By Chris Strunk
Last Updated: September 20, 2018

It started with a question about Cox Cable Channel 7 and ended with a scolding from the mayor.

Valley Center City Council member Lou Cicirello butted heads with City Administrator Scott Hildebrand at least three times during a council meeting Sept. 18, going so far, at one point, as to request an executive session to discuss Hildebrand behind closed doors.

Mayor Laurie Dove stepped in when one of the arguments escalated, telling both men to lower the tension. The city attorney, Barry Arbuckle, spoke up to defend Hildebrand.

At the end of the meeting, Dove had an admonition for the council and staff.

"You are smart and resourceful people," she said. "We have come so far in the last three years … and made a lot of decisions that have moved this community forward. … There have been councils before us that did not make such progress. … You don't have to agree all the time. … Our responsibility is to continue to keep things safe and moving forward and we need cooperation in order to do that."

In a discussion about a new city position to handle communications and IT, Cicirello asked Hildebrand whether the employee would be responsible for improving and using the city's cable Channel 7.

"Is there a need for it? Is there a need for it?" Hildebrand asked repeatedly.

Cicirello said there was, and that if Channel 7 was not part of the new position's duties, he wouldn't support it.

On the same topic, Cicirello asked why the applicant was required to have only a high school diploma or GED. Council member Ron Colbert also questioned the requirement.

"These requirements are kind of basic," Cicirello said.

Hildebrand stepped away from the podium and toward the council bench.

"Have some faith in your youth, Councilman Cicirello," Hildebrand said. "… They can definitely do a hell of a lot better job than I could."

When Colbert asked about the requirement, Hildebrand answered: "Sir, we have a pretty extensive interview process and that's the minimum requirement."

Finally, during council member comments at the end of the meeting, Cicirello brought up an issue he said he discussed with Hildebrand recently. He said he asked Hildebrand why the city kept the flags at half-staff well after the directed timeframe.

Cicirello said he was not satisfied with Hildebrand's answer in a text conversation, so he talked to a public works official. Cicirello said he was told it was an overtime issue.

"I was told the city won't pay overtime to change the flags," Cicirello said.

"That's not true," Hildebrand said.

Cicirello said that's what he was told.

Hildebrand raised his voice.

"Councilman Cicirello, bring this to my attention when this happens," he said.

After a brief exchange, during which Cicirello asked whether Hildebrand wanted him to read aloud the text message exchange, Cicirello asked to schedule an executive session for the next meeting.

Dove spoke up.

"We're going to stay calm and talk like civilized adults," she said. "… This is a staff project issue and it will be addressed, and you will be a part of addressing that."

Cicirello said the elected council members were the ones who make city decisions.

"We're the authority," he said.

Arbuckle then spoke up.

"I don't think the council should be directing staff people how to do their job," he said. "… I think that's a disaster as far as control. … I agree with Scott on this."

Historically, Cicirello has had no qualms about asking questions of the city staff during council meetings. He also rarely laments being on the opposite end of a majority council decision.

Cicirello represented the northeast part of the city for 10 years before stepping down in 2017. He was re-appointed to the seat when his replacement moved out of the city this summer. Hildebrand has been city administrator since July 2016.

In other business Sept. 18, the council:

•Learned that Fieldstone, from Goff to Greenfield, will be repaired soon.

•Learned that the former library building will be sold at auction at noon Oct. 18. The council also discussed the fate of a storage container owned by the library. The library said it may sell the container, which sits on the former library property.

•Approved a job description for the public safety director.

•Approved the creation of a communication and information specialist position.

•Approved the closure of the 200 block of West Main Street from 3 to 11 p.m. Oct. 13 for the Main Street Valley Center Dinner & A Movie event.