SAN BENITO — Fire Chief Raul Zuniga still wears his badge.
Last night, city commissioners took no action on confirming City Manager Manuel De La Rosa’s removal of Zuniga’s title about three weeks after he was placed on paid administrative leave.
Next month, commissioners plan to reconsider De La Rosa’s removal of Zuniga’s title following the second reading of an ordinance that would create more Civil Service positions, officials said after the meeting.
“He’s still the fire chief,” John Shergold, an attorney representing Zuniga, said in an interview after a 45-minute closed-session meeting.
Shergold had requested commissioners discuss Zuniga’s position in open session, as law allows.
Commissioners did not respond to Shergold’s request.
“What you saw tonight was American democracy in action,” Shergold said in an interview. “Tonight we asked them to put the cards on the table and they didn’t.”
In closed session, commissioners were expected to discuss “the appointment, employment, evaluation, reassignment or duties of Fire Chief Raul Zuniga,” according to the city’s agenda.
Commissioners were expected to return to open session to consider “possible action to confirm (the) city manager’s removal of the appointed department head status from Fire Chief Raul Zuniga,” the agenda states.
Commissioners will also consider designating an acting fire department head.
Earlier this month, the city announced De La Rosa placed Zuniga on unpaid leave “based on allegations made against him.” De La Rosa has declined to disclose the reason behind his decision to place Zuniga on unpaid leave, calling it a “personnel matter.”
Pending the investigation’s outcome, De La Rosa appointed Capt. Boris Esparza to oversee the department’s staff along with prevention and suppression.
Meanwhile, Police Chief Michael Galvan is handling law enforcement-related matters such as arson investigations while De La Rosa oversees personnel matters.
Zuniga, a 32-year department veteran, has served as fire chief since 2012.
