September 27, 2010
Fillmore City Council 250 Central Avenue Fillmore, CA 93015

SUBJECT: Vote of No Confidence - City Manager Yvonne Quiring. Dear City Council,

The Management and Represented employees of the City of Fillmore are writing this letter to inform the Council of its displeasure with City Manager, Yvonne Quiring, that the employees have no confidence in Ms. Quiring's leadership, and our concern for the general welfare of the City under her direction.

Thirty-Two of the City's thirty-seven fulltime employees agree that they are being micromanaged, belittled, intimidated, given unclear direction, harassed, and fear retaliation for informing Council of the current status of their working environment. Management staff feels that Ms. Quiring has created a hostile work environment within which staffs ability to focus on and complete work has been stifled. Her contradictory management style consists of speaking kindly before a group of employees then holding closed door meetings wherein staff is unfairly berated bringing the morale of the entire City Hall to a now intolerable low.

Staff also wants the Council to know that the concerns expressed in this letter are not precedent setting. During Yvonne Quiring's previous position as City Manager for the City of Lathrop, the represented employees also presented a vote of no confidence of Ms. Quiring in February of 2008 to its Council for many of the same reasons that we present before you in this letter. City staff believes this management behavior is a characteristic that is engrained in Ms. Quiring and cannot be corrected.

Management staff is fully aware of the difficult decisions that stand before the City given the current economic conditions, however we cannot continue to work under the hostile conditions created by the City Manager. It is critical to the City's well being that we present our concerns to you, the City Council.

The City of Fillmore deserves visionary leadership that genuinely fosters professional growth and encourages staff in achieving that vision. Ms. Quiring's poor treatment of staff does nothing to build a healthy and successful team.

It is with great anxiety that staff brings these concerns to your attention. Most of the City's long-term employees have gone through the highs and lows of a career in public service, however none have experienced the work environment that currently exists in the City and no one should have to work in such a hostile work environment. The management and represented employees of the City of Fillmore respectfully request that the City Council take action on this issue.

Sincerely,
Management and Represented Employees of the City of Fillmore, See Attached Signature Page, Exhibit A [signatures of 32 fulltime Fillmore city employees].