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One week after “mutually” agreeing to part ways with embattled City Manager Amanda “Mandy” Mager during a closed session hearing — in an apparent violation of California’s open meetings law — the Blue Lake City Council last night made it official, unanimously agreeing in closed session to finalize a separation agreement with Mager. (Councilmember Christopher Firor was absent.)

In announcing the action, City Attorney Ryan Plotz, of Eureka’s Mitchell Law Firm, said the document would be made public at the end of the meeting. Both the Outpost and the North Coast Journal previously requested a copy of that agreement, along with Mager’s letter of resignation. However, Plotz did not provide a copy of the separation agreement until shortly after noon today. [Click here to download a pdf of the document.]

In response to our request for Mager’s letter of resignation, Plotz said via email that no such document exists. She was employed by the city for more than nine years. 

Per the terms of the separation agreement, Mager’s final day of employment with the City was May 9. As severance, she will receive $30,000, which represents four months’ worth of her regular salary, and her health care benefits will continue for four months. 

As part of the agreement, Mager agreed to “comprehensively” release any and all legal claims against the city arising from her employment, and there is no admission of liability from either party. 

Last night, Plotz read aloud the previously released public statement about Mager’s departure.

Later in the meeting, Mayor John Sawatzky announced that Blue Lake Finance Manager Dani Burkhart had agreed to accept the role of acting city manager while the city works to recruit an interim or permanent replacement. Burkhart, who was just hired by the City in February, previously worked as an accounting specialist with the City of Eureka.

Attempts to reach Mager for this and previous stories have been unsuccessful.

Despite the City’s characterization of Mager’s departure as the result of a mutual decision, some Blue Lake residents are convinced that a council majority forced her out. They’ve launched a recall effort against Sawatzky, Mayor Pro Tem Elise Scafani and Councilmember Kat Napier.

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PREVIOUSLY

• The Blue Lake Community is Under the Impression That Its City Manager Has Been Fired, But City Hall Won’t Say Whether She Has Been Or Not
• With the City Manager’s Abrupt Exit, Blue Lake Residents Mount Recall Effort Against Three Council Members