Overview: Several San Bernardino residents expressed concern about the resignation of Acting City Manager Rochelle Clayton and the censure of Councilmember Kimberly Calvin during a recent city council meeting. Calvin accused the city of illegally giving away public funds to people who are not entitled to them, citing the case of Steve Carrigan, who was awarded $800,000 in a lawsuit. Former San Bernardino 6th Ward Councilman Rikke Van Johnson also addressed the council, criticizing their conduct and accusing them of targeting “honest council members like Calvin” because she “called out [their] illicit behavior.”
Breanna Reeves
Several concerned San Bernardino residents lined up to deliver scathing comments to the San Bernardino City Council regarding the abrupt resignation of Acting City Manager, Rochelle Clayton, and the censure of Councilmember Kimberly Calvin.
Before reaching the public comment section listed on the March 19 meeting agenda, were a handful of items such as the public employee performance evaluation process of the city attorney and city clerk, and the public employed appointment of City Manager and the appointment of interim city clerk.
With a motion from Councilmember Fred Shorett and a second by Councilmember Kimberly Knaus, along with a unanimous vote, Telicia Lopez was appointed acting city clerk, effective April 5, 2025. Lopez will replace Genoveva Rocha.
Twenty-five speakers submitted cards to comment during the city council meeting, including Calvin.
“The City of San Bernardino has a history of illegally giving away public funds to people who are not entitled to them, as it was done in Steve Carrigan’s case when the city gave away $800,000 to Steve Carrigan,” Calvin said.
In 2023, city manager candidate Steve Carrigan withdrew his interest from the city manager’s position after information about his candidacy was allegedly leaked. Carrigan later filed a lawsuit against San Bernardino, accusing the city of causing him to lose his job as city manager in Salinas. The city settled with Carrigan for $800,000.
As she addressed the council, Calvin displayed and read from a report from the League of California Cities that addressed the gift of public funds as being illegal.
“That means that you cannot vote amongst yourselves to give away the city’s funds,” Calvin said. “Each sitting council member currently at this moment, mayor, city council members, city attorney, and the city clerk, and many staff members were also aware of the falsely authorized and edited report that was done on behalf of Steve Carrigan, used and [falsely] filed a claim, and then a lawsuit. Nevertheless, you all voted to pay him.”
Calvin pointed out that Carrigan never worked a day in the city, but was able to walk away with $800,000 of the city’s funds.
Former San Bernardino 6th Ward Councilmember Rikke Van Johnson also addressed the city council, in support of Calvin. He recalled a moment in the winter of 2023, when the city council special meeting leaks were attributed to Calvin based on an independent investigation by the J&L Group Law Firm.
The credibility of J&L Group Law Firm was called into question by attorney Irma Rodríguez Moisa of Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo in a nine page legal complaint, authored by former Acting San Bernardino City Manager Rochelle Clayton. The document was initially submitted to the Inland Empire Community News by an anonymous source. Dated February 17 and 18, 2025, the formal complaint to human resources describes specific instances of corruption, improper investigation, misuse of authority, among other complaints.
The J&L Group Law Firm was hired by the city to conduct an investigation into former city clerk Lydia Gutfeld regarding claims of a hostile work environment and a city clerk recruitment leak investigation involving Calvin, who faced censure by the council. According to the complaint, Moisa disclosed to Clayton, “it was like the investigator started with the conclusion and backed into it.”
The complaint further details that other investigative reports authored by the J&L Group were also not credible:
“Councilman Shorett later stated he had spoken with Irma and was informed that it was not just one investigator (Kravetz) who’s reports are not credible in court, but the whole firm. Fred Shorett said ‘that means all their reports (are not credible)…that means Kim Calvin’s too.’ I responded to Councilman Shorett, ‘yes, even Calvin.’”
While speaking to the council during the meeting, Johnson referenced this section of the complaint.
“I stated then, the investigation carried out by the JL Group Law Firm was maliciously slanted to create a plot that Councilmember [Kimberly] Calvin leaked information out of closed session,” Johnson said. “To make matters worse, JL Group investigator Jason Kravetz interviewed me and concluded in his report that I lied. I’m still angry about that.”
Other community members in attendance addressed the ongoing corruption and unfit personnel in the city’s leadership. Some speakers accused the council of purposefully exposing Calvin’s name in the report in order to sabotage her run for city council.
Life-long resident Jan Robinson approached the podium, asking the city council questions about their conduct.
“I’m thinking how long your list of criminals in leadership is growing, and it continues to grow. What is wrong with you? You have given millions to the criminals you knew were crooked and convicted when you brought them in. This type of behavior makes me wonder how much kickback are some of you receiving?” Robinson asked.
Robinson criticized the board for wasting funds on “fraudulent investigations” and for paying “hush pay” to former council members instead of using funds to clean up the neighborhoods and strengthen programs for youth. She also accused the board of targeting “honest council members like Calvin” because she “called out [their] illicit behavior.”
The complaint, authored by Clayton, has circulated online and has resulted in community backlash as the complaint revealed documented instances of corruption, intimidation and misconduct by city officials, with incidents dated from May 2024 through January 2025.
On one page of the complaint, Clayton described an instance where she was yelled at by City Councilmember Theodore Sanchez during a meeting with Councilmember Fred Shorett, who was also in attendance.
“[Sanchez] continued to repeat yelling at me in the same manner he had on the previous Friday, 11/1. Fred stopped in to yell back at him in an argument. Sanchez continued to demand I prioritize, their five high priority requests, continue to list them,” Clayton documented.
In another incident, Clayton described being intimidated by City Attorney Sonia R. Carvalho and her office after Clayton brought forward actions against Asusena “Suzie” Soren, deputy city manager.
“I have since been undermined repeatedly by the attorneys and through staff with support from the City Attorney and select council members as well as community members who are close to those council members,” Clayton stated in the complaint.
“I have been accused in news outlets (The Sentinel) of making deals with a labor union in return for support to hire me as City Manager as well as being accused of misappropriation of $17 million in Homekey funds. In each article, select council members were also featured.”
Clayton explained she sent an email on Dec. 4, stating she no longer wanted the permanent City Manager position. A special meeting was called to remove Clayton as Acting City Manager, effective February 10, 2025.
Days after Clayton exited her role in San Bernardino, the City Council appointed William “Bill” Gallardo as interim city manager. Clayton is now the city manager of Barstow, where she was officially named city manager after a unanimous City Council vote on Feb. 18.
During a San Bernardino City Council special meeting on Feb. 21, former Councilmember Calvin voiced her concerns about the city losing another city official in such a short time.
“I cannot move forward without stating how disappointing it is for San Bernardino to be going through three city managers in the past year,” Calvin said during the special meeting. “It is unfortunate that when we do have a good city manager working for us and they tell us exactly what we need to hear to move forward, we have council members who like to make it personal and disagree.”
In December 2022, former San Bernardino City Manager Rob Field resigned from the position, after holding the role since 2020. In September 2023, city manager candidate Steve Carrigan withdrew his interest from the position. In October 2023, the council voted to appoint Charles Montoya as city manager. Montoya held the position for less than a year before he was fired by the council.