Deanna Santana will collect 12 months of compensation as part of her severance agreement.
Santa Clara’s former city manager, who was fired by the city council last month after a rocky five-year tenure, will continue to be paid her six-figure compensation for another year and has waived her right to sue the city over her dismissal, her lawyer said Wednesday.
City officials did not provide the estimated severance Santana will receive, and city spokesperson Lon Peterson deferred to the council’s lawyer, Gary Baum. Baum declined to comment until the agreement was signed by both parties. And, on Feb. 24, the council voted 4-2 — with Mayor Lisa Gillmor and Councilmember Kathy Watanabe dissenting and Vice Mayor Suds Jain absent —Santana’s dismissal has left Santa Clara without its top brass after the council fired the city attorney last fall. The city is alreadyof the decision as the council was forced to delay its priority session this month.
Following the vote to fire her, Santana had 15 to 30 days to respond in writing or request a public hearing about her termination, according to the city charter. Santana has previously not responded to requests for comment about her salary, and throughout the termination process has spoken through her lawyer.