Councilmember Holly Tillman Confronts Reality, Along with Her Ally

After fifteen months of political theatrics, the saga of Leticia “Holly” Tillman’s claims finally appears to be winding down.

When Mayor Trupiano assumed her role, she reached out to Councilmember Tillman to discuss her previous requests for an investigation into fellow council members and staff turnover.

For months, Tillman and her associate, Tamara Steiner (owner of the Clayton Pioneer), had been circulating damaging misinformation to the public, even going so far as to suggest Clayton was a city in decline.

At the January 21st city council meeting, Mayor Trupiano mentioned she had sent an email to Councilmember Tillman seeking to meet and discuss her ongoing request regarding staff harassment and turnover. Tillman responded with evasive language and attempted to explain why she had not replied, before the meeting moved on.

During the February 4th council meeting, Mayor Trupiano reported that a meeting had finally been scheduled between herself, Tillman, City Manager Kris Louftus, and City Attorney Mala Sagramanian on January 28th.

The outcome of that meeting was unsurprising. It was determined that no investigation would take place, as we all knew there were no valid complaints from current or former staff that would warrant such an inquiry. This includes the infamous statement made by Tamara Steiner in the Clayton Pioneer in relation to a grand jury investigation.

Had any legitimate staff complaints existed, Tillman would have had no role in addressing them—such matters fall under the purview of Human Resources, not the city council.

As Clayton Watch has consistently pointed out over the years, the turnover in city staff stemmed from one primary issue: poor leadership and mismanagement by previous city managers, Brett Prebula and Reina Schwartz. Their inadequate leadership and management styles caused the turmoil at City Hall, not the actions of certain council members or public inquiries.

The political drama instigated by Tillman and her radical agenda has been the true source of division. In 2020, she accused Clayton of being a racist city where police engaged in profiling, citizens allegedly feared for their safety, and Clayton was a Sun Down Town. 

When things didn’t unfold as she hoped, Tillman set out to stir up more conflict within the council and among city staff. On several occasions, she claimed the previous city managers and staff were being harassed by the public due to Public Information Requests (PIRs).

However, PIRs related to projects like Olivia on Marsh Creek, payroll, and budget-related matters could have been easily avoided had the city’s previous city managers addressed these concerns proactively and provided the information the community requested. Their failure to do so resulted in unnecessary burdens on city staff, who felt overwhelmed and unsupported by the community and council. Once their lack of leadership became apparent, both city managers resigned.

With Tillman’s accusations now disproven and her political theater exposed, it’s time for this chapter to close. The council can now refocus on serving the people of Clayton.

Given the significant discord and unprofessional conduct displayed by certain council members, the city council approved a measure at the February 4th meeting to establish an ad hoc committee for good governance training for both council members and staff. Details of future training sessions will be announced soon.

We are calling for Tamara Steiner and the Clayton Pioneer to issue a formal retraction and apology to the people of Clayton, the City Council, and neighboring cities for spreading misleading information. Additionally, it would be appreciated if Tillman would issue an apology at the next city council meeting, though we’re not holding our breath.

Let’s look ahead and work together to heal the divisions in our community. With a renewed focus, Clayton can move forward as the best little city in Contra Costa County—one that we all care deeply about. Enough is enough.

Sincerely,

Gary Hood
Clayton Resident