The Lodi City Council is scheduled to vote Wednesday on expanding its agreement with the law firm Meyers Nave to conduct a personnel investigation stemming from allegations made by City Manager Scott Carney.
According to the council agenda, the amendment would authorize Acting City Manager Christina Jaromay to extend the scope of services under the city’s existing contract with the firm, which was originally signed April 8. The amended agreement would increase the total compensation from the original amount to a maximum of $210,000.
City Attorney Katie Lucchesi initiated the city’s engagement with Meyers Nave, and the firm has since acted as special counsel on employment-related matters involving Carney. The proposed amendment would allow the firm to hire investigators as part of a personnel investigation requested by the council.
The contract expansion is being brought forward with support from both Lucchesi and Jaromay, according to the council report. Funding for the investigation will be allocated across city departments as needed.
Carney was placed on paid administrative leave on April 9. His departure followed an April 1 special city council meeting during which he publicly accused senior staff, including Lucchesi and City Clerk Olivia Nashed, of altering staff reports without his consent. Carney also alleged that internal reviews had uncovered the misuse of city-issued credit cards for personal expenses and broader mismanagement of public funds.
Carney claimed the documents were redacted after he had approved them to protect certain employees. He also said city staff resisted his attempts to investigate, stating during the meeting that the city was failing as a steward of public trust.
Mayor Cameron Bregman interrupted Carney during the meeting, saying the city manager had introduced personnel matters and off-agenda topics, raising the possibility of a Brown Act violation. The Brown Act requires California public agencies to conduct meetings and decision-making in a transparent, agendized manner.
In a 3-2 vote following a closed session on April 9, the council voted to place Carney on leave. Councilmembers Lisa Craig-Hensley and Alan Nakanishi opposed.
Bregman said the city’s goal is transparency while maintaining legal compliance. “No one is above the law,” he said. “We’re exploring options related to this release of information.”
Jaromay, who has served as director of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services since 2021, was later appointed acting city manager.
The council is scheduled to consider appointing James Lindsay, a retired PERS annuitant and former city manager of Saratoga, as acting city manager during its meeting this week. Lindsay led Saratoga for a decade and has held other senior municipal roles, such as Planning and Neighborhood Services Director for the City of Milpitas.
According to the proposed agreement, he would serve for up to six months at a rate of $140 per hour, subject to standard background and employment checks
“The City of Lodi desires to appoint a person with specialized skills qualified to fill the Acting City Manager role on an interim basis, which is critically important for the City while the permanent City Manager is on administrative leave,” the resolution states.
The council is expected to vote on both items during its regular meeting at Carnegie Forum.
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