FACED WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF TERMINATION, Lori Asuncion resigned as Stockton city attorney on Tuesday evening.
Asuncion’s resignation was effective immediately and received a 7-0 vote from the council. The council also voted unanimously to appoint Assistant City Attorney Taryn Jones as acting city attorney, effective immediately.
No reason for Asuncion’s resignation was provided during Jones’ announcement about it at the beginning of Tuesday’s City Council meeting. Asuncion also provided no reason for her departure in a city statement released to media amid the council session.
“I am honored and pleased to have served the City of Stockton and its residents for the past eighteen plus years,” Asuncion said. “I want to thank the mayor, city council, residents and businesses of Stockton for allowing me the distinction and honor to have served the people of this wonderful city.”
The lawyer had served Stockton’s legal department for 18 years, including just over three years as its chief attorney, according to her LinkedIn profile.
Termination talk shrouded in secrecy
Both Asuncion’s departure and Jones’ appointment happened during the City Council’s closed session, where the council discusses confidential city business — such as the hiring or firing of council appointees — with only limited details announced publicly.
The leadership shake-up came six days after Councilmembers Brando Villapudua, Michele Padilla and Mariela Ponce asked Stockton’s city clerk to put an item considering Asuncion’s dismissal on Tuesday’s closed session agenda.
Villapudua and Padilla had separately asked City Clerk Katherine Roland not to reveal that they and Ponce were the ones who requested to schedule the discussion of Asuncion’s possible firing, emails obtained by Stocktonia show.
Roland agreed to their request to the extent the law allows, the emails show. Stocktonia obtained the communications through a request under California’s Public Records Act.
On Tuesday night, Villapudua, Padilla and Ponce didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment about their view of Asuncion’s performance.
But in an Aug. 4 email obtained by Stocktonia, Villapudua listed multiple complaints about Asuncion and her office, including what he called an “alarming lack of coordination” with former interim City Manager Steve Colangelo’s office.
In an emailed response, Asuncion defended her actions, adding, “I am fully aware of my charter duties, and I work diligently to stay out of your council’s frequent political battles.”
Council split over handling of resignation
Vice Mayor Jason Lee and Councilmembers Mario Enriquez and Michael Blower also didn’t immediately respond Tuesday night to questions about their opinions of Asuncion’s performance.
In earlier comments to Stocktonia about Asuncion’s job being placed on Tuesday’s closed-session agenda, Enriquez criticized the move, saying, “I’m still trying to wrap my head around as to why we operate like this. I mean, I don’t think it has to be done this way.”
Enriquez also praised Asuncion, calling her “the most insightful person in City Hall.”
On Tuesday, Blower said he was “very disappointed” in Villapudua’s and Padilla’s attempt to hide their role in scheduling the discussion of Asuncion’s possible firing.
“If you feel like you’ve got to hide something, maybe you probably shouldn’t do that,” he said.
A spokesman for Mayor Christina Fugazi said she couldn’t share her opinion of Asuncion’s performance as city attorney because Asuncion’s resignation is a confidential personnel matter.
According to Jones’ announcement at Tuesday’s council meeting, Asuncion’s resignation is subject to a separation agreement, which includes the city paying her $3,500 in attorney’s fees and a mutual non-disparagement agreement between Asuncion and the city. The purpose of the attorney’s fees payment wasn’t explained.
Jones declined to comment on her appointment as acting city attorney.