Ventura City Council Compromises On "Punishment" For Council Member

Monday June 05, 2023

(Council Member Mike Johnson)

     After listening to three hours of public comments from 60 people, the Ventura City Council voted Monday night to admonish rather than censure Council Member Mike Johnson over the way he spoke to and questioned a city staff member at council meetings last year.

     That staff member filed a formal complaint saying that Johnson's actions were "hostile and bullying."

     A second staff member also filed a similar complaint.

     A $75,000 investigation by an outside law firm found that two of the eight allegations against Johnson, both at the council meetings and both relating to one of the two employees, were sustained.

     It did not sustain the other allegations, including those involving  the second employee.

     At a previous closed door meeting, the council discussed that investigation and approved a recommendation to censure Johnson and remove him from his committee assignments.

     Monday night, they held a special meeting at the last minute to confirm that action in public.

     But after getting an earful from dozens of angry people at the meeting, virtually all who criticized the council for considering censuring Johnson and removing him from his committee assignments, the council voted 5-1 on a compromise.

     Johnson will be admonished, not censured, he will keep his committee assignments, and he will make a general verbal apology to the entire city staff either at a future council meeting or through the city's in-house video conferencing system.

     The council also voted for the entire council to undergo training in employee relations, not just Johnson.