Yorba Linda Is Sued Again by Simonian

Former Yorba Linda City Manager Arthur C. Simonian has filed a second lawsuit against the city in his battle to regain his post.

The latest action, filed Friday, makes allegations similar to those in his first suit, said Spencer Covert, an attorney for the city.

The first case alleges that the City Council’s Sept. 7 decision to fire Simonian violated the Brown Act’s open meeting provisions because it was made without proper notice. The second makes a similar allegation about the council’s Aug. 16 decision to place Simonian on administrative leave, Covert said.

Trial of the first lawsuit is scheduled Nov. 18. No court date has been set for the latest case.

The city is suing Simonian to recover about $300,000 that it says he took without council authorization. No trial date has been set on that case.

Separately, Mayor John M. Gullixson filed an incident report Wednesday with the Brea Police Department over a brief struggle Tuesday night with city founder David Baker, who served him with recall papers that evening.

Both men maintain that the other was the aggressor in a small skirmish that took place in the council chamber just before the council meeting started. Neither man was injured. Gullixson’s report didn’t allege any crime, and police said they won’t investigate.