The San Bernardino City Council is expected to consider this week whether to censure one of its members.
At their meeting Wednesday, April 17, Mayor Helen Tran and the council are scheduled to discuss censuring Councilmember Kimberly Calvin over “alleged misconduct involving violations of policy, law and fiduciary duty,” a report prepared by city staff reads in part.
Censures are public reprimands, and don’t come with a fine or suspension attached.
The report does not go into the allegations against Calvin, who last month lost her write-in bid for reelection in the city’s 6th Ward, but references an April 10 special meeting of the council. At that meeting, City Attorney Sonia Carvalho announced the council met in closed session and voted 4-2, with Calvin and Councilmember Damon Alexander opposed, to direct the city manager to add the censure discussion to Wednesday’s agenda. Councilmember Ben Reynoso was absent.
In December, the city released the results of a personnel investigation into Calvin’s behavior as a council member. That report alleged she violated city rules and created an “uncomfortable” work environment at San Bernardino City Hall. The investigation had been sparked by a single unnamed city employee.
“Claimant indicated he had been subjected to an unfavorable work atmosphere and, as a result, he began to document incidents that he felt rose to the level of misconduct,” the investigation summary reads in part. “Claimant also alleged that Ms. Calvin has contacted him and other city staff directly, and made requests that exceeded the authority of a city councilperson which in essence circumvented the city manager.”
It’s not clear what effects, if any, a censure would have on Calvin’s political future.
She did not collect enough signatures in time appear on the March 5 ballot and ran as a write-in candidate. She lost, as did Reynoso and Alexander, in the 5th and 7th wards, respectively. All three were elected in 2020, marking the first time San Bernardino had three Black councilmembers in office at one time. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that, as of 2023, San Bernardino had a 12.3% Black population.
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