Following a tumultuous departure of city manager Scott Carney, the Lodi Council is reconsidering how such officials can be removed from office. Council members hope a revised process will prevent future uncertainty and offer more transparent guidelines for governance.

The City Council is grappling with unprecedented dysfunction, leading to the resignation of two members and incurring hundreds of thousands in legal fees. Frustrated residents are calling for an end to the chaos, questioning whether new leadership is necessary to restore effective governance.

Institutional dysfunction plagues government operations at the local, state, and federal levels. Elected officials and their staffs often create unnecessary problems, disrupting the orderliness of governance and hindering effective leadership.