Editor’s note: This article was updated to include additional information provided by City Manager Don Reynolds. Lea este articulo en español aquí.
Brian Foucht, San Juan Bautista’s assistant city manager, was placed on paid administrative leave, City Manager Don Reynolds confirmed on Dec. 6.
Describing it as a personnel matter, Reynolds said the leave was performance-related and that his office was “gathering some information and doing an investigation.” He said Foucht will remain a city employee during the investigation.
When contacted for a comment, Councilmember John Freeman said, “The city manager is in charge of all performance reviews and all personnel issues for people who work under him and I will leave the matter up to his discretion.”
Foucht, who also serves as the community development director, was hired by the city in May 2021. He has been part of several major city endeavors, such as the Economic Development Citizens Advisory Committee, and recently worked with the ad hoc committee that drew up the city’s Sphere of Influence and Urban Growth Boundary proposals.
Foucht has also been involved in the city’s code enforcement, a source of friction between him and local merchants who told BenitoLink on March 29 that they found him unresponsive to their concerns and difficult to work with.
Matters came to a head when around 20 merchants and residents spoke at the next meeting of the Planning Commission on April 11, protesting citations given to the Hapa Brothers food truck, owned by Jason and Aaron Ricketts, for allegedly operating without appropriate use permits.
Foucht came to San Juan with a lengthy resume, having previously worked in planning for the cities of Pacifica, San Ramon, Tracy and Newman, and for Monterey and Mariposa counties. Just prior to becoming assistant city manager for San Juan, Foucht was land planning manager for Scheid Family Wines in Salinas.
BenitoLink reached out to Foucht through his city email for comment but he has not responded.
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