Grand Jury Report Criticizes Clayton City Council For Mismanagement, Staff Turnover, and Lack of Transparency

Grand Jury Report Criticizes Clayton City Council For Mismanagement, Staff Turnover, and Lack of Transparency

A new report released by the 2024–2025 Contra Costa County Civil Grand Jury has raised significant concerns about governance, transparency, and financial practices in the City of Clayton. The report, the result of an in-depth investigation into the operations of the Clayton City Council, cites troubling patterns of mismanagement, lack of transparency, and ongoing financial instability in one of Contra Costa County’s smallest cities. Among the mo…

The Grand Jury Has Spoken. Clayton, It’s Time to Listen.

CLAYTON, CA (May 29, 2025) — In March of 2024, we ran an editorial on the front page of The Pioneer calling for a Grand Jury investigation into the chaos at Clayton City Hall. By our count, the city had gone through eight city managers, seven finance directors, and five community development directors in just five years. Council meetings had devolved into public spectacles of incivility, senior staff were quitting left and right, and councilmemb…