Parting shot to Peterson

To the editor,
First off, I would like to thank the city of Banning for the outstanding career opportunities it has provided me over the past 16 years. It has truly been a pleasure working with the city’s employees and residents, and I have developed some wonderful relationships over the years.

In particular, the Electric Utility staff have been dedicated and hardworking, and have implemented many system, process and program improvements over the past 10 years.

These have included the new Sunset Substation, the downtown underground project, the 4kV to 12kV system conversion and substation upgrade, the LED streetlight replacement project, as well as many energy conservation programs to assist the city’s residents.

I could not have asked for a more loyal and committed staff to ensure the completion of the many projects that have been undertaken by the Electric Utility.

Unfortunately, I won’t be able to see many of the projects the utility is currently working on through to completion. I am stepping down from my position as Electric Utility director several years earlier than I had originally planned.

This is due to the untenable working environment that has developed at the city, since council member Don Peterson was originally elected to the Banning City Council five years ago.

Councilmember Peterson has created a hostile and toxic work environment as a result of his unwarranted attacks on his fellow councilmembers, city staff, and those Banning residents that call him out on his unacceptable behavior.

He, along with his handful of followers, have turned the city council meetings (which used to be conducted in a professional and respectful manner) into a three-ring circus that resembles an episode of the Jerry Springer Show.

Every meeting, Mr. Peterson and his followers spew out their hate and negativity, yelling at staff and making wild accusations of lying, collusion and subterfuge. These employees that he is demeaning are the same people that work tirelessly to ensure that the city’s residents receive the best service and support possible.

However, he and his followers impugn these employees’ character, in a public meeting, throwing out blatant lies, berating and disparaging these employees in an attempt to discredit them. I’ve sat through each council meeting feeling sick-to-my-stomach over the hate that permeates the council chambers. I’ve literally become physically ill as a result of the toxicity and negativity that saturates the air during the council meetings.

Why is Councilman Peterson doing this??? Why would someone who took an oath to uphold the city of Banning, regularly behave in a way that is tearing the city apart?

If you haven’t been keeping track, the city has lost seven department heads in the past four years, as a direct result of councilman Peterson’s behavior.

That means that seven directors that were dedicated to the city, decided that they could not continue working in the toxic and hostile environment that councilman Peterson had created.

These are directors that, like me, hadn’t planned on leaving the city, but could not take the personal — vicious attacks on their character any more.
Why hasn’t something been done to stop councilman Peterson’s unacceptable behavior?

Over the past four years I have personally talked with three different Banning mayors, as well as individual councilmembers, and discussed my concerns about the hostile and toxic environment that councilman Peterson has created, and the negative impacts it is having on the city.

I was told repeatedly that they didn’t like his behavior, but this was just his personality and that we just had to accept it.

I disagree!

You do not let the schoolyard bully continue to harass and intimidate, just because he is a bully.
However, after several years of expressing my concerns over the hostile and toxic work environment that Councilman Peterson has created, I realized that the current city council was not going to address it. This is truly unfortunate, because the city is going to continue losing good — dedicated — employees as a direct result of councilman Peterson’s behavior.

So it is with a bit of sadness and disappointment that I leave the city of Banning.

I hope that the city is able to achieve the goals that it has set for itself, but I believe that this will be difficult, if not impossible, as long as councilman Peterson’s behavior is allowed to continue.

Fred Mason, Electric Utility Director