YORBA LINDA
A Superior Court judge has denied City Manager Arthur C. Simonian’s request to have the city pay the $43,000 in legal fees he spent challenging the council’s vote in September to fire him.
Judge John C. Woolley ruled in favor of Simonian in November, ordering the city to reinstate the 27-year city manager because the council did not follow the proper procedures to terminate him. Woolley ruled against Simonian on Friday, saying the city should not have to pay Simonian’s legal costs in that case, since it was filed on Simonian’s behalf and not for the public good.
Simonian’s attorney, Nancy Whitehead, said they plan to appeal the decision.
Meanwhile, the city is happy with the decision, said city attorney Henry Kraft, who filed an appeal Friday challenging Woolley’s order to reinstate Simonian.
Simonian is now on paid administrative leave. The city is suing him to recover more than $300,000 that he allegedly paid himself without council authorization. Simonian has denied any wrongdoing and is suing to get his job back.
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