Lori Johnson: Here we go again on the city manager merry-go-round

Nearly four years ago, Atwater’s embattled mayor, Jim Price, and his pro tem, Jim Vineyard, were elected to restore economic stability to the city’s finances and put an end to the bickering and drama on the city council. They have failed miserably.

At the last council meeting, Vineyard proudly embraced being referred to as a “sidekick” to the mayor. They both have poured fuel on the fire of bad council relations. They have called out fellow councilmembers as liars and unfairly criticized their decisions.

Now, another city manager is leaving because of a pervasive hostile work environment. Of course, Price’s reckless squirrel hunting expedition on Castle’s flight line disqualifies him for re-election. That dangerous stunt indicates terrible judgment.

Voters will be choosing new leadership. Hopefully, that choice will be men or women that do not ignore the massive management failures that plague Atwater and who will restore trust in city government.

This story was originally published April 3, 2018 at 2:57 PM with the headline "Lori Johnson: Here we go again on the city manager merry-go-round."