A Sunnyside City Council meeting intended to outline next steps in selecting the city’s next City Manager instead unraveled into confusion, failed motions, and sharply divided votes — while making clear that a majority of the council favors the return of former City Manager Mike Gonzalez.
Council members Ramon Chavez, Leticia Zesati, and Mayor Vicky Frausto voted in favor of bringing Gonzalez back, despite his previous termination.
In a notable reversal, Deputy Mayor Julia Hart, who had consistently supported Gonzalez during the controversy surrounding his firing, voted against his immediate return.
Committee Formation Drives Final Outcome
Hart played a central role in advocating for the formation of a three-member committee — a move that ultimately determined the council’s direction. Hart has been a huge advocate for Gonzalez, and shocked the community by voting against Gonzalez.
The committee, composed of Mayor Frausto, Deputy Mayor Hart, and Councilor Galvan, later selected Police Chief Rob Layman as Interim City Manager.
Hart later told the Yakima Herald-Republic that she hopes Gonzalez applies for the permanent position and emphasized that he would be welcome as an applicant.
Early Motions Collapse Amid Confusion
The meeting’s first motion proposed that the Mayor, Deputy Mayor, and one additional council member form a committee to select a recruiting firm and oversee the city manager search. Confusion immediately followed regarding who would fill the third seat.
“I’d like to put my name in the hat for consideration,” said Councilor Galvan.
“I would like to offer my desire to be on that committee also,” said Councilor Dolan.
The motion failed, leaving the council without a clear process.
Councilor Dolan then moved to appoint Layman as Interim City Manager for three weeks, arguing the council needed time and should not rush. The motion was seconded by Councilor Vazquez but failed after procedural confusion.
“It came from the chair. This was the second room. Am I in a different room?” Dolan said, capturing the disarray in the chamber.
Motion to Rehire Gonzalez Raises Legal Warnings
Councilor Chavez later made a direct motion to rehire Gonzalez.
“I’d like to make a motion to bring Mike Gonzalez back to Sunnyside,” Chavez said.
Mayor Frausto immediately sought guidance from City Attorney Julie Norton, who cautioned against rushing the decision.
City Attorney Looks Petrified As She Gives City Council Legal Advice
“My advice is form your committee…and do some more research and…and…and… ugh…discuss more with you in executive session,” Norton said, warning of potential liability concerns and emphasizing she could not advise council members how to vote.
Galvan says he’s listening to the community and contradicts himself
“So I think we need to be real careful here with what we do, we really need to take the advice our council is giving us. We do not want to rush anything. We do not want to do anything to effect our liability with anybody. And I really feel that maybe the Council is getting some pressure from the public, and that’s find and all. The public can give pressure, on who they want to see back. Ultimately, it’s the decision of the council as a whole. I really listened to the community, and I have to base my decision on information that I have internally, that’s out there publicly. We really need to make sure we’re making the right decision as a whole for the public and thinking of liability going forward,” said Galvan
Councilor Dolan warned that rehiring Gonzalez could have insurance implications.
“He was fired basically, and if we hire him back you might be looking for a new insurance company,” Dolan said.
Gonzalez Responds: “It Was a Sham From the Beginning”
In comments to the Yakima Herald-Republic, Gonzalez said he was “flattered” to be considered for the position and reiterated his belief that the investigation leading to his firing lacked credibility.
“It was a sham from the beginning,” Gonzalez said. “I stand by my work. I helped raise $5 million in grant funding for infrastructure. Everything was going great until Theresa Hancock was appointed and manipulated Councilor Vazquez and poisoned a very impressionable Vicki Ripley.”
Gonzalez has consistently maintained that his termination was politically motivated and not based on performance.
Where we go from here?
After multiple failed motions and prolonged debate, the council approved appointing Rob Layman as Interim City Manager and formally established the three-member committee to oversee recruitment and selection of the permanent City Manager.
While the procedural outcome settled the immediate leadership question, the meeting underscored a fractured council, unresolved legal concerns, and a community still deeply divided over Gonzalez’s departure — and potential return.
