Pleasant Hill City Clerk Slams Council In Resignation Letter, Calls Job 'Atrocious, Incredibly Depressing'

PLEASANT HILL (KPIX 5) – The embattled city clerk of Pleasant Hill offered her resignation on Monday, but not before disparaging the City Council and citizens in a note to city leaders.

Kim Lehmkuhl faced scrutiny over not producing minutes of city council meetings for at least a year and tweeting during those meetings. On Monday, she sent scathing resignation email to Mayor Tim Flaherty and City Manager June Catalano.

Lehmkuhl's name was still on the directory at Pleasant Hill City Hall on Monday night, but her seat at council chambers was filled by someone else.

The first paragraph of the letter said she accepted a job in Washington, DC and that she would resign effective immediately.

In the second paragraph, the former clerk went on a rage-filled rant against the council and citizens who attended meetings.

"This has been an atrocious, incredibly depressing, and mind-numbingly inane experience I would not wish on anyone," Lehmkuhl said. "I wish the City the best of luck in finding some schmuck eager to transcribe every last misogynistic joke, self-indulgent anecdote, and pathetic pandering attempt by Council..."

After receiving the letter, Flaherty told KPIX 5, "I had been encouraging her to resign for the past four months. She had made it clear she would never resign, so actually I was pleasantly surprised despite the tone of the e-mail today to receive it."

Earlier this year, Lehmkuhl talked to KPIX 5 about her job performance, saying, "I'm going to take total ownership for the fact that this work product has not been completed in a timely fashion."

Council member Michael Harris said if he were Lehmkuhl's new employer, "I would fire her on the spot."

Lemkuhl could not be fired over her job performance because she was elected. A group of residents had launched a recall campaign against the clerk.

There will be a measure on the upcoming ballot to change the city clerk to an appointed position.