Oxnard's $60,000 settlement payment to its former fire chief last year did not comply with state law, a review by the Ventura County District Attorney's office found, though the error appeared unintentional.
The DA's office looked into the issue after getting a citizen complaint when the settlement was made public by The Star in November, records show.
The payment should have had City Council approval because it exceeded a $50,000 cap, according to a letter sent to the city this week by Special Assistant DA Michael Schwartz.
Instead, Oxnard officials relied on a city ordinance adopted more than 15 years ago that allows the city manager and city attorney to settle certain claims up to $75,000 without City Council approval. "Our interpretation of the law is that the ordinance is invalid and exceeds the $50,000 cap allowed by state law," Schwartz said Thursday. "But there's no evidence here anyone intended to violate the law or have any kind of bad faith."
The separation agreement authorizing the payment was signed in April 2015, when former Chief James Williams "agreed to resign," the document reads, and received the lump sum to "release any and all claims he may hold against the city."
The city issued a statement Thursday afternoon via Twitter and online announcing results of the DA review and saying its risk-management policy "is inconsistent with state law." The city also posted the DA's letter.