Banning City Manager Andy Takata has been fired.
In a closed session during Tuesday’s council meeting, council members voted unanimously to dismiss Takata, effective immediately, according to a report originally published in The Press-Enterprise.
The council then issued a statement, read by the city’s contract attorney, declaring they had lost confidence in Takata’s management abilities.
Council members also declared they would not discuss the firing, which came two months after Takata announced he would step down once a severance package was worked out.
Since then, Takata rejected an offer that would have paid him about $276,000, or the equivalent of 14 months salary. He will leave office without a severance payment, a move that will likely lead to legal action, according to the report.
Takata, who has been on paid administrative leave, has four years left on a six-year contract. Deputy City Manager June Overholt has served as acting city manager in his absence, but the council might hire an interim manager until Takata’s replacement can be found, according to the report.