LODI - The city of Lodi is appointing a new acting city manager nearly a month after not having a solely dedicated city manager -- and after the current city manager, who is on leave right now, claimed misuse of city funds.
The city hired a third-party law office to look into city manager Scott Carney's claims. This, while he is on a 45-day paid administrative leave. But the mayor says the city needs to move forward and needs an acting city manager. With a 5-1 vote on Wednesday night, James Lindsay has been appointed as acting city manager for Lodi. Lindsay has 30 years of local government experience, including 10 years as the city of Saratoga's city manager. He was one of two candidates interviewed in late April for the interim position. The move comes after Carney, the only city manager to be officially appointed in nearly three years, was placed on paid administrative leave back on April 9 after an employee evaluation. Carney made claims city staff were changing staff reports and were misusing taxpayer dollars and city credit cards. "We have a third-party investigation for what's going on and to find out if claims are true or false," said Lodi Mayor Cameron Bregman. "I think by the end of it, people we see why we have done the things that we've done." Mayor Bregman says the city has been without someone solely dedicated to the role for too long. "I cannot stress how important it is to have good leaders in these roles. That's what we've been focused on, having the right leader, in the right role, for the right time," he said.Mayor Bregman says the third-party law office the city hired is still looking into Carney's claims. The council expects more from the investigation to come out at the next city agenda meeting on May 21.CBS News Sacramento tried to speak with acting manager Lindsay, but he did not want to appear on camera. The city council has included that Lindsay will come back to the council with a 30-day employee evaluation. He will be paid $140 dollars an hour.
Carney is on paid leave until at least May 26 unless it's extended.
The city was also paying for the Parks and Rec Director, who had a salary pay increase of $100,000 while she too was acting city manager and performing her original role as Parks and Rec Director.
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