BY EMILY MIBACH
Daily Post Staff Writer
East Palo Alto’s former city clerk was paid to resign from his job, but why is a mystery.
City Council on Dec. 9 voted 3-2 to accept City Clerk Walfred Solorzano’s resignation, and to pay him $38,068.87 plus any remaining salary he is owed.
Councilmen Carlos Romero and Ruben Abrica both voted no on the settlement agreement. Abrica said he does not think the city ought to enter into unnecessary settlements. He also said he does not think the city did anything wrong, but did not elaborate.
The settlement includes clauses that ban Solorzano or city officials from disparaging one another. The settlement says that if anybody asks, they’re to say that Solorzano resigned and his departure was “settled in a mutually acceptable manner.”
Solorzano is now the city clerk in Patterson, a town in Stanislaus County. Solorzano, reached via phone in Patterson, said that it was an honor to work for City Manager Jaime Fontes, and assist the city council. He also praised the East Palo Alto community, saying working in EPA was “fulfilling work.”
However, when asked specific questions about his departure, he had no comment, or said he would not speculate on reasons for his leaving the city.
Fontes had no comment on the matter other to say that the city will begin recruiting a new city clerk and he wishes Solorzano the “best in his future endeavors.”
Solorzano began working for the city in 2019. During his time at the city he won an award from the City Clerks Association of California for “organization, communications and administration.”