Stockton’s diversity, equity and inclusion efforts have been at the forefront of discussions at City Hall for the last week after it was revealed that public DEI money had been allocated to fund a consulting contract for job coaching services for the interim city manager.
Vice Mayor Jason Lee has publicly led the charge in scrutinizing the management of Stockton’s DEI efforts, from grilling city staff and calling for an investigation into city spending to hosting a press conference with other public officials outside City Hall and inviting the public to submit records requests to the city.
On Tuesday, he got into a verbal tussle with Mayor Christina Fugazi, who then called for a quick recess when tempers flared.
Discussions have largely focused on how DEI funds ended up paying for things that had nothing to do with DEI, as well as why Stockton’s lone DEI officer was transferred from the city manager’s office to the Human Resources department and had her title changed to analyst.
Lee’s efforts culminated in a contentious City Council meeting Tuesday, where he openly challenged Fugazi’s handling of meeting procedure following a DEI presentation by staff, leading Fugazi to call for a brief recess.
“It’s ironic that we’re having a conversation about DEI … because I think strangling the voice of a Black representative at this council is ridiculous,” Lee said when the meeting reconvened.
Lee and Fugazi had spoken over each other arguing about who had the right to request a “point of order,” which is meant to bring attention to a perceived violation of meeting rules.
“Immediate recess,” Fugazi said as she hit her gavel on the dais. “I’m calling for an immediate recess.”
“You can recess. Let me tell you, and when we come back, I will have the mic and good luck,” Lee responded. “I’ll be right here, go ahead,” he added as the meeting’s recording was cut and Fugazi got up from her seat to leave council chambers.
The city’s DEI-officer-turned-HR-analyst, Preya Nixon, presented about DEI efforts as requested by Lee at the meeting.
Nixon’s presentation comes after an Audit Committee meeting last week during which Lee expressed frustration regarding the large amount of money used to fund a consultant for the interim city manager. It was confirmed that a portion of $100,000 of unused DEI money was used to pay the consultant at a price of $11,000 a month for two months.
Lee then insisted that a report be on the agenda at Tuesday’s council meeting, which was presented by the city DEI officer.
An investigation by Stocktonia published last month showed that interim City Manager Steve Colangelo had hire Lathrop’s city manager, Stephen J. Salvatore, to provide him with strategic guidance on best practices in municipal management. The contract was worth up to nearly $100,000, on top of the already $20,000 Colangelo was being paid, and signed without council approval or taking competitive bids.
Stockton officials announced last week that Salvatore had decided to terminate his consulting agreement with Colangelo and would only charge the city for the months of February and April, while also voluntarily waiving a substantial portion of his compensation. Salvatore and Stockton officials said the Lathrop city manager’s services were no longer needed, though he would be available for future guidance on a an hourly basis as needed.
Salvatore’s contract has faced backlash from both the public and councilmembers, including Lee, who was one of four votes that appointed Colangelo in February.
The vice mayor served up some strong criticisms of City Hall’s management of its DEI efforts at the Audit Committee last week, kicking off a week of scrutiny on how the city’s handling of the issue. However, later in the week the city said that Lee and Colangelo had since held “extensive conversation,” regarding DEI, Leading the vice mayor to soften some of his rhetoric that have been recently directed at Colangelo.
At Tuesday’s council meeting, Lee said he’d appreciated comments from the public, which were largely critical of the city’s handling of its DEI efforts, and stressed that none of what people were seeing up on the dais was personal, noting that recent conversations he’s had with Colangelo have been productive.
“I don’t want people online to make this a war inside of City Hall, because there’s no war,” Lee said. “We had a very spirited conversation around what my passion and beliefs are, which we’re hearing from today.”
Jason Lee calls for midday DEI press conference
Lee didn’t wait for the council meeting to address the DEI issue. He held a press conference Tuesday afternoon to discuss the city’s questionable DEI spending. He said it was his “obligation to raise concerns” upon discovering that DEI allocated funding was used to pay for the interim city manager’s consultant, whose contract has since been terminated.
Nearly $100,000 of public money was repurposed to help pay for the consultant, who is also the city manager of Lathrop, Stephen Salvatore. During the conference, Lee revealed that $40,000 of DEI money also went to “food and other non-important things.”
“This is a message to city staff and everybody,” Lee said. “Do not do anything under our nose, thinking that we won’t call it out because this is not the council that’s asleep. We are not woke, but we are awake at the wheel.”
Following Lee’s speech, District 4 Councilmember Mario Enríquez took to the podium. He highlighted a need for answers, accountability and better communication.
“Give me the timeline. Cricket, cricket. Simple, basic questions that have yet to be answered,” Enríquez said. “Why this particular contract? Why this person? Why this city? And then to find out that the funds were used from a DEI budget allocation.”
Lee has also indicated that he wants an investigation into how DEI money was ultimately spent on other things.
“When I was on the campaign trail, I said, if I find out that anybody did anything funny with the money, you’re going to jail,” Lee said. “I said that and I meant that. I still mean it today. That’s why I’m the chair of the Audit Committee, and that’s why I’m digging, digging, digging.”
Lee has also shared that both he and Enríquez were recently removed from an ad-hoc committee assembled to search for the permanent city manager, the issue of which he will request be put on the agenda of a future city council meeting.