City Manager Steve Hallam confirmed Myers was placed on leave earlier this month but would not provide any specifics about the case citing that it was a pending personnel matter and out of respect for Myers’ privacy. Hallam did say that the subject of the leave was not for any criminal related conduct and there has not been an investigation regarding the pending issue.

Myers has been the deputy director of public works for the last 7 years, coming to Oakdale from Stanislaus County.

Sources familiar with the matter said that the cause of the administrative leave was not for one particular task or issue of Myers’ conduct or performance. Sources within the city stated that Hallam withdrew as the hearing officer in Myers’ case due to their prior relationship within the public works department.

The public works department has recently come into focus for a variety of financial issues including allowing a well to go inoperative for years, a six-figure employee lawsuit settlement, and the inability to recover costs for private sewer line repairs. It is unknown if any of these issues were related to Myers’ leave status.

A special closed session of the city council is scheduled for Monday, April 25, at noon to discuss "Employee Discipline/Release.

For more information, see the April 27 edition of The Leader.