2025-05-06 8:25 a.m. Updated with a comment from former Willits city councilmember and mayor Saprina Rodriguez
The city and former City Manager Brian Bender entered into a separation agreement and mutual general release that includes eight months of Bender's average salary.
Under the terms of the agreement, Bender also received compensation for all earned and unused vacation time, holidays and accrued benefits. The city will cover the cost of continued health insurance under COBRA for up to eight months following the date of separation. In addition, the city agreed to reimburse Bender up to $5,000 in attorney’s fees incurred between January 2025 and the date of separation.
The city attorney approved the agreement on March 20, 2025. It was signed by Bender and the mayor on March 28.
The agreement states that both parties mutually agreed to separate, finding it in their best interests and necessary to resolve potential litigation. Bender’s employment with the city ended at the close of business on March 21, 2025, the same date his resignation became irrevocable.
“I’m disappointed the new Council has focused the first six months in office on removing the City Manager," said former mayor and councilperson Saprina Rodriguez. "They froze hiring for vacant positions while they paid out to settle potential litigation concerns they may have created — costing us taxpayers ... There was a press release but no public budget adjustment on the agenda for the payoff for the former City Manager. The Council still has not publicly discussed the process for hiring a new permanent City Manager. Are these discussions happening privately?
"I have reported Brown Act violations to the Council themselves in recent months. Transparency and fiduciary responsibility have not been evident. For speaking out I’ve received retaliation.”
