The Chelsea City Manager Was Dismissed Without Due Process, Says Resident

by Jan Bernath

An open letter to Chelsea City Council and Mayor Pacheco,

On June 23, 2025, you held a closed meeting following the regular council meeting. At that meeting, a consequential decision was made about City Manager Marty Colburn. Following that meeting, on June 24, City Attorney Mariah Fink and Sage HR consultant Sheri McDaniel met with him and told him his “services were no longer needed.” After that, he was escorted out of the building

Since all of youparticipated in the June 23 closed meeting, I direct your attention to the city charter, Chapter 7, section 7.5, City Manager Removal…“the council shall adopt by affirmative vote of not less than five of its members a preliminary resolution that must state the reason for removal and may suspend the city manager from duty for a period not to exceed 45 days. A copy of the resolution shall be delivered promptly to the manager.” This was not done. In response to my request for a copy of the preliminary resolution under the Freedom of Information Act, I was told that “there is no preliminary resolution because Mr. Colburn was not removed as manager.”

A copy of his personnel file yields no complaints, only a separation agreement that states “Employee’s employment is terminated as of June 24, 2025,” and is signed by Mayor Jane Pacheco.

In other words, Marty was not removed following the city charter but was terminated with no due process. You may have engineered his termination legally, but it certainly was not ethical.

But, here’s the thing: For me, this is personal for me, I care.because I knew Marty. I met him when I lived in Mason, where he served as city manager for 16 years. He was well-respected for both his competency in the way he managed the city and the kind of decent person he is: accessible and a straight-shooter. 

By getting rid of Marty, you have denied the Chelsea taxpayers the services of a capable career professional who was working to move the city forward out of the management vacuum. Now we have another vacuum, and yet another search for yet another city manager. This has cost time, and time costs taxpayer money.

All of you are responsible for what you have done. I have grown from being stunned to being sickened by your shameful action. As a taxpayer, I am disgusted by your arbitrary, short-sighted governing. Most of all, I am saddened by how you treated this fine human being and capable City Manager, Marty Colburn.