By Brett Callwood
At the City Council meeting on the evening of Tuesday, August 12, the Council voted 3-2 in favor of censuring Councilperson Wanda Love. The yes votes came from Mayor Tasha Cerda, Mayor Pro Tem Mark Henderson and Councilperson Rodney Tanaka. The no votes were from Love and Councilperson Paulette Francis.
The second censureship was raised at the council meeting on Tuesday, July 24, when the councilmembers emerged from Closed Session following a vote to wave attorney client privilege and read out allegations against Councilmember Wanda Love.
City Attorney Carmen Vasquez stated that Love was recused from Item 2A in Closed Session, regarding an investigation by outside investigator Jeffrey Love of JL Love, LLC. Vasquez read a summary of those findings:
“With respect to the allegations that Councilmember Wanda Love made false or misleading statements about the Department of Recreation and Human Services and its director, discussed concerns about City Manager Clint Osorio with subordinate employee, and discussed or disclosed with city employees her concerns regarding a previous investigation into complaints about her made by other city employees, on May 27 2025, the investigator submitted his final report regarding the allegations levied against Councilmember Love. The investigator concluded that a preponderance of the evidence supported the allegations that Councilmember Love made false, misleading and damaging comments about the Department of Recreation and Human Services, discussed concerns about the City Manager with another employee, and expressed frustration about the complaints filed against her.”
“As to the first allegation, the investigator sustained allegations that Councilmember Love made false and misleading statements about the Department of Recreation and Human Services. The investigator concluded that Councilmember Love had dual roles with overlapping authorities as both a councilmember and director of the Chamber of Commerce. In those capacities, according to the investigation, Councilmember Love often sought preferential treatment with chamber-related requests, including expedited approvals or fee wavers for the Chamber without a hearing to establish City protocol. The investigator gave examples of Council Member Love making misleading or damaging comments about the Department of Recreation and Human Services including the following incidents:”
“In March 2023, Councilmember Love stated her expectation that City staff would prioritize Chamber-related asks as a City event. When the Department of Recreation and Human Services director informed Councilmember Love that she needed to adhere to established City protocol, Councilmember Love attempted to bypass the Department of Recreation and Human Services director’s authority, by reaching out directly to other City officials and departments.”
“In May 2023, when Councilmember Love was informed that she was expected to follow established City policy by submitting formal proposals for the Chamber’s participation in a Cinco de Mayo event, Councilmember Love expressed frustration to the Department of Recreation and Human Services director, and accused the director of the Department of Recreation and Human Services of being uncooperative.”
Perhaps most concerning is the allegation that Love discussed with staff that she had discovered the identities of the city employees that had filed complaints against her.
The aftermath, building up to this meeting, has seen things devolve further. Love claimed that Cerda called her “the devil” at that July 24 meeting, with Cerda responding that, in fact, she told Love that she’s “evil.”
At the August 12 meeting, Love took a swipe at City Manager Clint Osorio and his competence, though that was swiftly shut down by City Attorney Carmen Vasquez. For his part, Osorio said that he “doesn’t deserve” the criticism.
Love’s first censure occurred at the meeting on January 28 of this year, after an external investigation concluded that she acted inappropriately towards two unnamed staff members.
Details of the investigation became known at the council meeting on Tuesday, January 14 when, following closed session, City Attorney Carmen Vasquez read a staff report stating that the City had retained attorney Jeff Love to investigate concerns regarding the conduct of Council Member Wanda Love towards two City employees. This investigation aimed to determine whether Council Member Love’s action constituted inappropriate behavior, and considered findings from a prior inquiry involving one of the employees.
“The investigation substantiated allegations that Council Member Love unfairly criticized employee one in connection with two City projects – The Willows Wetland Grant Project, and the demolition of the Chase Bank building,” the report stated. It later continued, “The investigation also substantiated allegations regarding Council Member Love’s conduct towards employee number two during a City event.”
Speaking to the GVN, Love said that the accusations are, “definitely inaccurate.” At the January 28 meeting, Love mentioned that her character was “under attack.”
Love was instructed to complete three training sessions within 90 days of the resolution. To date, she hasn’t done that training and she said at the August 12 meeting that she has no intention of doing the training because she doesn’t feel she needs it.
While a democratically elected councilperson can’t be removed from theory position through censorship, the first affected Love’s ability to perform in her position in the following ways:
“That Council Member Wanda Love, in her official capacity as a council member shall refrain from communicating with City staff, with the exception of the City Manager, City Attorney, and Deputy City Clerk. Communications with the City Manager and Deputy City Clerk shall be in writing, with the exception of during open and closed session city council meetings. This action shall remain in place until a majority of the Council rescinds it;
“That Council Member Wanda Love is suspended from her duties as a city council representative or alternate representative on outside and city committees. This action shall remain in place until a majority of the Council rescinds it;
“That Council Member Wanda Love is prohibited from city-paid travel, inclusive of registration fees, to conferences, meetings, trainings and other events where representation of the City is involved. This action shall remain in place until a majority of the Council rescinds it.”
For this second censureship, the council reiterated that Love should attend three training sessions, while also removing her ability to distribute $2,000 from the discretionary fund per fiscal year, as each Councilperson can do. Instead, that $2,000 will be divided among the other four members.
The GVN will continue to follow this story.
