Cypress councilmember who defended former city manager resigns for new job
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Amid a continued shakeup at Cypress City Hall, Scott Minikus has vacated his City Council seat to accept an out-of-state job offer.
First appointed to council in 2021, Minikus announced his retirement — which came as a surprise to many — during a council meeting late last month. The decision coincides with his plans to retire from his day job with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security at the end of the year.
“I thought of retiring and enjoying my life while continuing to represent our city and, in fact, running for a second term in 2026,” Minikus said. “But not long after I … submitted my papers, I got a phone call and was presented with an amazing opportunity. That opportunity was simply just too good to pass up.”
Minikus did not provide details regarding his new job. City Council positions are part-time in Cypress.
A month after Peter Grant resigned as Cypress city manager, Yorba Linda approved a five-year contract to bring him aboard as the city’s new city manager.
In addition to Minikus’ resignation, which became effective as of Wednesday, key city staffers are also leaving, including City Clerk Alisha Farnell and Assistant City Clerk Christina Dizol.
The departures continue more than a month after City Manager Peter Grant resigned from his post amid mounting pressure from some on the council who questioned his job performance.
Minikus staunchly backed Grant when Mayor David Burke called for special meetings and directed the city attorney to turn over relevant documents after a former Public Works director, Doug Dancs, accused Grant of unspecified “unlawful acts” during an April council meeting. Dancs never elaborated on those allegations, nor did the council.
In his farewell remarks, Minikus thanked Grant, who is set to to become city manager in Yorba Linda on Oct. 13.
“Your accomplishments are far too many to discuss here,” he said, “but rest assured, my friend, our city and the successes we share are due to your leadership.”
Earlier in the meeting, councilmembers unanimously selected a firm to help conduct a search for a new city manager. Former Irvine City Manager Sean Joyce is serving in the role on an interim basis.
In addition to supporting the former city manager, Minikus found himself at the center of controversy in recent council meetings when colleagues accused him of personal attacks, with one calling for updates to the city’s civility code.
During the Aug. 25 council meeting, Minikus questioned Councilmember Leo Medrano’s well-being with unsubstantiated allegations read from an anonymous letter. Before that, Minikus referred to an email sent by someone requesting anonymity alleging that Medrano acted in a disorderly manner at Los Angeles International Airport in June.
Grant forwarded the email to the entire council after Councilmember Bonnie Peat inquired.
Medrano responded to the allegations at a past council meeting by claiming that Minikus yelled obscenities at him after an Aug. 25 closed session and later confronted him at a restaurant. Medrano asked to update the civility code, which councilmembers discussed Sept. 22.
The suggested updates would discourage “disparaging” remarks that “degrade respectful council decorum and deliberation.”
Westminster council members Amy Phan West and NamQuan Nguyen have been named in a lawsuit that alleges they have consistently disrupted meetings and impeded the conduct of city business. Phan West called the suit a political stunt.
Peat deemed the definition of “disparaging” subjective and questioned how decorum guidelines might apply outside of council meetings.
Minikus echoed similar concerns but took them further.
“If we’re going to adopt this, I’d like to add an amendment to it, that it’s not just when we’re conducting city business but also in our personal lives as well,” he said.
“Do you have additional language to add to the ordinance dictating how council members behave in their personal lives?” Burke asked Minikus.
“There are some legal implications of the suggestion that would warrant some further analysis,” said attorney William W. Wynder, who sat in for the city attorney during the meeting.
Medrano sought to have the updates passed as they were but left the door open to future revisions. Burke called for a vote, and the council unanimously supported the motion.
How Cypress will fill Minikus’ vacated seat, which could tip the balance of power on council, remains to be seen.
In the meantime, councilmembers wished him well, closing out the meeting on a civil note.
“It’s no secret that we’ve had our differences,” Burke said, “… but I think one thing that’s always been clear is that Scott really cares deeply about Cypress, about our state and about our country.”
