Former city manager candidate claims San Bernardino officials cost him his job in Salinas
San Bernardino’s one-time top choice for city manager is pursuing legal action against the city, claiming officials interfered with his former employer and cost him his job. In a claim seeking financial compensation for damages, Steve Carrigan alleges the city of Salinas, where he worked as city manager, fired him after San Bernardino intentionally interfered with his employment there. Carrigan also claims San Bernardino officials discriminated against him due to his race and violated California’s open meetings law, the Brown Act. He seeks $2.2 million in damages, including $731,250 that he would have earned during the remainder of his contract in Salinas, $500,000 for damages to his reputation and $1 million from loss of future employment opportunities. The claim, filed about a month after the San Bernardino City Council hired Charles Montoya as city manager, is typical of those filed as a first step in a legal process that may lead to a lawsuit. The council discussed the claim behind closed doors at its meeting Wednesday, April 3. “The City Council met in closed session to discuss a claim filed by Steve Carrigan against the city