General (10)
Susana Barrios
From:Stephanie Mercadante <burglin.stephanie@gmail.com>
Sent:Tuesday, May 12, 2026 6:23 PM
To:Public Comment
Subject:\[EXTERNAL\] On Behalf of Stephanie Mercadante, District 4, Councilmember Norma
Campos Kurtz
Warning: This email originated from outside the City of Anaheim. Do not click links or open
attachments unless you recognize the sender and are expecting the message.
For public comment on May 12, 2026:
The public should be deeply concerned about the pattern that continues to emerge inside the City of
Anaheim. This includes not only water quality issues and “call before you dig” violations, but also a
broader culture of retaliation, suppression, and disregard for public safety. According to documented
claims submitted against the City, employees responsible for maintaining critical public infrastructure
allege they were retaliated against for raising safety concerns, reporting excavation violations,
questioning unsafe work practices, and advocating for lawful operations. Employees describe a
workplace where speaking up could cost you promotions, overtime, opportunities, or your career.
Think about that. These employees are the quiet heroes of Anaheim. They are the people who
work behind the scenes so residents can turn on their taps and trust the water is safe to drink.
They are the crews responding to emergencies at all hours, repairing critical infrastructure beneath
our streets, and performing dangerous work the public rarely sees but depends on every single
day. Yet instead of fostering a culture of transparency, accountability, and safety, the allegations
describe an environment where employees feared retaliation for reporting hazards, unsafe conditions,
regulatory concerns, and operational risks. When the very people responsible for protecting public
infrastructure are afraid to speak openly, every resident in this city should be concerned. The
public should be asking: If employees are afraid to report problems internally, what problems never
reach the public? When a government culture punishes the people trying to raise concerns, the risk
is not just to employees. Rather, the risk is to every resident who depends on these systems to
function safely, transparently, and without fear-driven suppression of the truth. This is more than
an HR issue. This is a public safety issue. Anaheim residents stand with the Anaheim Public Utilities
Heroes who keep our city safe every day. Moreover, we demand accountability from the
managers responsible when employees and the public are placed in harm’s way.
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