The former city manager of Lodi claims he was fired after raising concerns about financial irregularities and the possible misuse of public funds. Now, he’s suing the city.
The Lodi News-Sentinel reports:
The lawsuit stems from allegations Carney publicly raised during an April 2025 City Council meeting, when he expressed concerns about weak internal controls, potential misuse of city credit cards and alleged attempts to alter staff reports before they were presented to the council.
During the meeting, Carney also began discussing personnel matters in open session, prompting then-Mayor Cameron Bregman to order him to stop.
The council subsequently placed Carney on administrative leave, citing concerns about a potential violation of the Brown Act, and authorized an outside investigation into his claims.
The Brown Act, California’s open-meetings law, generally restricts public agencies from discussing matters that have not been properly noticed on a meeting agenda.
Carney was placed on paid administrative leave on April 9, 2025. That November, he was formally terminated. According to his lawsuit, the firing was retaliation for engaging in protected whistleblower activity.
Carney is seeking damages for lost wages, benefits, future earnings and harm to his career.
The allegations go well beyond questionable credit card purchases. Carney claims he uncovered problems involving accounting, procurement, and public records practices. He says he pushed for a deeper investigation,...
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