With election season here and three out of five City Council seats up for grabs, it’s a critical time for El Cerrito residents to cast their votes for representatives who will rigorously hold the City Manager accountable for her performance. After serving 12 years as Assistant City Manager, Karen Pinkos took over the role of City Manager on January 1, 2019. Since her tenure began, El Cerrito has encountered numerous serious issues, yet there has been no acknowledgment or substantial response from her office.
Karen Pinkos often assures stakeholders that problematic events would not occur “on her watch,” yet under her leadership, several troubling events have unfolded:
- State Auditors Report: A 2021 state audit revealed that El Cerrito’s financial practices were critically deficient, placing the city on the brink of bankruptcy and ranking it among the ten most poorly managed cities in the region. Since then, only marginal improvements have been made, with the city currently standing as the 13th worst among over 400 California cities in terms of financial management.
- BBB- Bond Rating: Before Karen Pinkos’ tenure, El Cerrito boasted a prestigious AA- bond rating. However, shortly after she became City Manager, the rating dramatically fell to BBB-, verging on junk bond status.
- Costly Sexual Harassment Settlement: Despite facing financial challenges, the city settled a significant sexual harassment lawsuit, paying out over half a million dollars. The city has yet to implement effective policies to prevent such issues in the future.
- Unfunded Pension Liability: The city has not properly managed its pension obligations, resulting in an enormous $85 million pension liability. Although $1 million was allocated to the Section 115 trust, there is no legal requirement for these funds to be used to reduce the liability, further jeopardizing the city’s financial future.
- High Turnover in Finance Director Position: Over the past two years, El Cerrito has seen three different Finance Directors, with the city’s challenging work environment contributing to their brief tenures. This instability has prevented the effective management and reporting of the city’s financial status.
Furthermore, Karen Pinkos frequently promotes her commitment to “Accountability and Transparency,” yet her actions suggest otherwise. Issues such as unrecorded Financial Advisory Board meetings, inappropriate language towards subordinates, and circumventing financial advisory processes highlight a significant disconnect between her words and her actions.
Also, El Cerrito City Council’s policy of not engaging during public comments is arbitrary. There are no state or federal laws prohibiting engagement with the public. This self imposed practice further erodes public trust and transparency.
As El Cerrito faces dire financial and operational challenges, the necessity for effective governance, transparency, accountability, and prudent decision-making cannot be overstated. It is imperative for the City Council to implement performance standards for the City Manager to ensure these crucial leadership qualities are not only promised but also practiced.
Your Thoughts? What are your experiences with city services in El Cerrito? Do you recognize these issues, or do you view the situation differently? Share your stories and suggestions for how our city can improve. Let’s start a conversation for change.
Here is how you can help:
- Share this post with other residents.
- Comment on this post.
- Attend the monthly Financial Advisory Board meetings in person.
- Post on social media – tag councilmembers
- Voice your concerns at City Council meetings, which are available remotely and in person, though public comment is now limited to in-person attendees.
If you want to contact City Council Members or the City Manager, all their emails are provided below:
- Karen Pinkos – City Manager: kpinkos@ci.el-cerrito.ca.us
- Councilperson Gabe Quinto: gquinto@ci.el-cerrito.ca.us
- Councilperson Carolyn Wysinger: cywysinger@ci.el-cerrito.ca.us
- Councilperson Tessa Rudnick: trudnick@ci.el-cerrito.ca.us
- Mayor Lisa Motoyama: lmotoyama@ci.el-cerrito.ca.us
- Councilperson Paul Fadelli: pfadelli@ci.el-cerrito.ca.us
El Cerrito Committee for Responsible Government (ECCRG) 