Resident Diana Esmeralda tells Adelanto council she lacks confidence in City Manager Jesse Flores

Diana Esmeralda told the Adelanto City Council on Sept. 11 that the public does not have "a vote of confidence" in City Manager Jesse Flores and urged the council to consider his conduct.

"He does not have the character and integrity that the city of Adelanto needs in regards to our employees...or in regards to how he helps us," Esmeralda said during the public-comment period. She accused Flores of failing to deliver the budget on time, not creating requested processes, leaving warrants disorganized and making personnel decisions that have led to legal costs for the city.

The remarks came after the council opened its regular meeting and announced three closed-session items involving labor negotiations. A staff member identified the negotiating parties as "Teamsters Local 9 11 general employees," the confidential/professional employees group, and the city management employees group.

Following Esmeralda's comments, the presiding official moved the meeting into closed session at 6:35 p.m. The motion was called and put to a voice vote; the transcript records one "Aye." The meeting then proceeded into closed session to address the listed labor-negotiation items.

Esmeralda's accusations were made during public comment and went unanswered on the record at that meeting. The council did not take any recorded public votes on personnel actions in open session; the announced business moved into closed session under the council's stated agenda.

Recorded names and roles during the session include Brenda (who conducted roll call), a staff member identified as Keith (who announced the closed-session items) and Diana Esmeralda (public commenter). The roll call noted Councilor Camargo absent and others present. The transcript does not record further council debate or a full roll-call vote on the motion to enter closed session in the portion provided.