STOCKTON, Calif. Stockton’s city manager was fired tonight, following a report that a weekend Neil Diamond concert cost taxpayers nearly 400-thousand dollars.
The city council voted 6-to-1 in a closed emergency meeting to fire Mark Lewis.
Mayor Ed Chavez cited complaints about Lewis spending money without council approval and his contentious relationship with the press, among other things.
Supporters, however, credited Lewis with revitalizing the city with projects such as building the Stockton Arena and Ballpark.
Lewis came under fire in recent weeks after he revealed that the city spent one (m) million dollars in public funds to book singer Neil Diamond at the Stockton Arena last Sunday. Lewis initially said profits from the concert would fund public projects, but later revealed that weak ticket sales resulted in a loss for the city.
Lewis could not be reached for comment by The Stockton Record tonight.
He was hired in 2001.