Government / Politics

Hollister fires its city manager

Brett Miller says it was a difference in opinion that prompted his departure. 
Brett Miller said his termination was based on a difference of opinion. Photo by John Chadwell.
Brett Miller said his termination was based on a difference of opinion. Photo by John Chadwell.

Editor’s note: This article was updated to include Councilmember Rolan Resendiz’s comment. Last updated March 7 at 12:54 p.m.

 

The Hollister City Council terminated City Manager Brett Miller on March 6. City Attorney Mary Lerner said at the meeting the vote was unanimous. Councilmember Tim Burns made the motion to terminate and Councilmember Rick Perez seconded it. 

Lerner said both parties issued the following statement:

“The city of Hollister has decided to go in a different direction with respect to the city manager position.” 

Mayor Mia Casey and Councilmember Rolan Resendiz told BenitoLink they could not comment on the termination because it’s a personnel matter. The other council members did not respond to BenitoLink’s request for comment. 

Resendiz said he is confident the City Council will discuss the next steps to fill that position at their next meeting scheduled for March 20.

Miller, who was not present at that meeting, told BenitoLink there was a difference in opinion but could not provide more details.

His annual salary is $201,171, according to the city’s salary schedule, and is entitled to all compensation including salary, accrued vacation, sick leave and accrued executive leave paid in a lump sum plus the value of all benefits for the remainder of the term of the agreement. His contract expires Sept. 7; Miller’s severance is about $100,000.

While Miller is officially out as city manager, he and the city still face a 2022 lawsuit in a sexual harassment complaint. 

Law firms in Salinas and Los Angeles are representing an unnamed plaintiff, referred to as Jane Doe, in the civil case. The suit asks for damages of more than $25,000 and compensatory damages for a violation of the Fair Employment and Housing Act; sex discrimination in violation of FEHA; failure to investigate and prevent sexual harassment and discrimination in violation of FEHA; and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

Dave Mirrione will be the acting city manager. He became assistant city manager in August 2022 and receives a salary of $194,500. 

 

 

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Noe Magaña

Noe Magaña is BenitoLink Co-Editor and Content Manager. He joined BenitoLink as reporter intern and was soon brought on staff as a BenitoLink reporter. He also experiments with videography and photography. He is a San Benito High School alumnus with a bachelor's in journalism from San Jose State and a Liberal Arts Associate's Degree from Gavilan College. Noe also attended San Jose City College and was the managing editor for the City College Times, the school's newspaper. He was a reporter and later a copy editor for San Jose State's Spartan Daily. He is a USC Center for Health Journalism 2020 California Fellow.