Cypress City Manager Peter Grant announced his resignation in an email sent to city staff on Monday, Aug. 18.
The City Council has discussed an evaluation of the city manager in multiple recent closed session meetings and last week directed City Attorney Fred Galante to take action, though what that action was to be was not disclosed. Several community members, including former mayors, had attended the meeting to show support for Grant.
“After over 11 years of service to the Cypress community, I have decided to resign as your city manager,” Grant wrote in Monday’s email to city staff, which was obtained by The Orange County Register. “My journey with the city began July of 2014, and I say farewell as one of the longest tenured city managers in Orange County, and the second longest in Cypress’ history.”
When pressed for information after last week’s City Council decision, which was on a 3-0 vote after one councilmember left the meeting and another was absent, the city attorney told attendees he could not comment further.
Mayor David Burke declined to comment on the city manager’s email, and several other councilmembers could not be reached. Burke previously commented that he wished he could be open with residents, but he could not breach closed session confidentiality.
Grant did not provide additional comment when asked if he had faced pressure to resign or if there was any connection to a previous corruption allegation by a former public works director.
“It was very heartening to see how much support I had in the community, among the people I worked with and the business leaders in Cypress,” Grant said in a statement Wednesday.
“The complaint, which is the only one against me in the entire time I was city manager, is nearly a year and a half old,” he added. “The 2024 City Council, on which Mayor Burke served, took it seriously and acted appropriately. The matter was closed in November 2024.”
The City Council is next scheduled to meet on Monday, Aug. 25.