Public presses Compton council over city attorney resignation, settlement and possible censure

Compton council members heard sustained public concern Dec. 23 about the recent resignation of the city attorney and a closed‑session settlement, with several speakers urging the council to provide written documentation and consider formal censure.

Public commenters said they were alarmed the resignation and any related settlement were handled in closed session and asked for formal steps to ensure transparency and limit taxpayer exposure. Charles Davis told the council he believed settlements involving elected officials should be ratified by a court and that resignations should be formally "received and filed" by the city clerk before they take effect. "You can't do a negotiated settlement, and I don't care what your attorneys tell you, with an elected official," Davis said.

Councilwoman Lily Darden said she wanted clarity about the office's status after a November 2024 charter amendment (Measure CA) and asked staff to provide documentation. A city legal representative explained the secretary of state certified the charter amendment in January 2025 and told the council that, based on the implemented changes, the city attorney office is no longer an elective position under the revised charter. The legal representative said a resignation had been received and was on file with the clerk.

Several residents raised questions about the cost of the settlement and who will pay. One speaker urged a public forum to weigh whether to contest the payment in court instead of settling, saying: "Sometimes less expensive is not right." Another caller urged the council to postpone any payment decisions until documentation is provided and public input is heard.

Other commenters tied the resignation matter to a separate inquiry into city credit‑card reimbursements and purchases, saying the auditor had flagged the city as high risk and that council action should follow statutory procurement and accounting requirements. "We need to get on your employee to fire these heads," one commenter said, calling for accountability linked to audit findings.

Council members agreed to place further charter and resignation documentation on a future agenda. The mayor reported that a resignation letter had been received and is in the clerk's office; council members said a second legal opinion had been requested. No formal action on censure or settlement payment was taken at the meeting.

The council said it would schedule follow‑up items so the public could review documents and the council could consider next steps at a future meeting.