Acting City Manager Told to Cease and Desist

Former Coachella City Manager Send Acting City Manager to Cease and Desist — and Apologize

COACHELLA —In a sharply worded letter, Former City Manager Gabriel Martin is demanding that Acting City Manager William Pattison Jr. cease and desist the actions Martin alleges have directly violated the terms of the Settlement Agreement between the City of Coachella and himself.

In the three-page letter, Martin also cites Pattison’s conduct at public meeting on March 17, 2025. These actions not only breach legal agreements but also defame my reputation and contravene the ethical standards outlined in the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) Code of Ethics, specifically Tenet 3, Martin wrote in the letter dated March 26. All members of the City Council, the city attorney and city clerk were copied.

It is essential that this agreement be upheld in its entirety, yet it has come to my attention that you have acted in a manner that undermines and violates these terms, Martin writes in his letter.

“Specifically, I believe that your recent statements and actions regarding my termination conflict with the stipulations outlined in the Settlement Agreement, thereby breaching the terms of our legally binding contract,” Martin wrote. “I urge you to review the agreement once more to ensure compliance with its clear provisions. Failure to do so on your part, due to incompetence and ineptness, will result in further action, including but not limited to legal remedies to seek enforcement of the contract and compensation for any damages incurred as a result of this violation.”

Martin continues to tongue-lash the acting city manager, writing, he is “deeply concerned” by Pattison’s remarks made during the March 17, 2025 public meeting, as well as statements to staff members and individual members of the City Council.

“In your statements, you falsely attributed promises made by me or by staff that were either untrue or taken out of context,” Martin alleges. “These false claims misrepresent my actions and intentions and have caused harm to my reputation within the community.”

As the Acting City Manager, it is imperative that you act with integrity and uphold truthfulness when communicating to the public and stakeholders,, the letter states. “The dissemination of false or misleading information regarding me, is not only unethical but may also have legal ramifications for defamation or slander. Therefore, I request that you immediately cease making any further defamatory statements regarding me and issue a public clarification to rectify the misinformation you have disseminated.”

As a result of the alleged actions, Martin demands the following:

1. Immediate Cease and Desist: You must immediately cease and desist from making any further false or misleading statements regarding me, my actions, or any alleged promises made by myself or others. Any statements made in violation of the Settlement Agreement or the ICMA Code of Ethics must be corrected and retracted publicly.
2. Public Clarification: You must issue a formal public apology or statement to correct any false information you have publicly or privately disseminated, ensuring that your comments accurately reflect the facts and do not misrepresent my actions or intentions.
3. Adherence to the Settlement Agreement: I expect you to review and ensure full compliance with the Settlement Agreement, including the terms surrounding my termination, to avoid further violations of the contract.
4. Failure to comply with these demands will leave me with no choice but to pursue further legal action to seek enforcement of the Settlement Agreement, as well as damages for defamation and any other harm caused by your actions.

“I trust that you will take these matters seriously and act promptly to resolve this situation,” Martin’s letter states. “I expect to receive confirmation of your intent to comply with these demands within seven calendar days from the date of this letter.”

Pattison could not be reached for comment Saturday.

Mayor Steven Hernandez declined to comment.