Treasure Island’s investigation into allegations against City Manager Charlie Van Zant has raised an uncomfortable question inside City Hall: How freely can employees speak when the complaint involves the person at the top of the city’s administration?
City emails obtained by the Catalyst show three commissioners sought to interview employees about Vice Mayor Tammy Vasquez’s complaint against Van Zant, while the city was separately arranging for an outside attorney to investigate.
The request prompted one employee to tell city attorneys she was uncomfortable, and referenced an effort to seek whistleblower protection. The records show how the complaint quickly spread beyond Vasquez and Van Zant, drawing other commissioners and city employees into the dispute.
Vasquez unsuccessfully sought to place Van Zant on paid administrative leave during an Aug. 4 City Commission meeting. She and Commissioner Arthur Czyszczon supported the motion, while Mayor John Doctor and Commissioner Arden Dickey opposed it. Commissioner Chris Clark was absent but later publicly defended Van Zant…