Former Salinas City Manager files claim against San Bernardino for allegedly causing him to lose his job in Salinas

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. (KION-TV) -- Former Salinas City Manager, Steve Carrigan, is filing a claim against the City of San Bernardino for allegedly causing him to lose his job in Salinas.

The claim, filed in November 2023, also indicates Carrigan had a potential job lined up in Pacific Grove that he lost due to the actions of staff in San Bernardino (Claims 3 and 6).

The claim indicates Carrigan is seeking $2,231,250 in damages to his reputation and "future employment opportunities."

According to the claim, San Bernardino staff discriminated against Carrigan based on his race and made attempts to shift public interest against him while he was running for the city manager role in San Bernardino (Claims 2 and 5).

The document claims his efforts to work in San Bernardino were leaked to staff in the City of Salinas, ultimately leading to his firing in Salinas. (Claim 6)

Carrigan was initially fired by the City of Salinas back in October 2023. A reason for his release was not immediately disclosed.

Just a week, Carrigan announced (despite rumors of him leaving for San Bernardino) he was choosing to stay in Salinas and "could not see himself working anywhere else."

That statement to City of Salinas staff came after at least three months of in-person interviews where at one point, according to the claim, he was listed as a finalist for the San Bernardino City Manager job.

We've emailed and called in to the city clerk and city attorney's office in San Bernardino for comment and have not heard back.

The City of Salinas has not responded to our request for comment as to why Carrigan was fired in October and haven't heard back. The city would also not provide comment about the claim.

The City of Pacific Grove would not comment on statements made in the claim that Carrigan's "circumstances were 'too political'" around the time he was considered for Pacific Grove's city manager job.

You can view the claim in its entirety view the images below: