The controversy over the sudden change in Coachella’s city leadership continues to unfold—and it’s getting louder.
Earlier this year, Gabriel Martin was removed as city manager following a nearly five-hour public meeting that resembled more of a spectacle than a civic discussion. Dozens spoke in his defense, many of whom admitted they didn’t even know who he was or what a city manager does. In the end, Martin was out, and his predecessor, Bill Patterson, was back in the seat.
As part of the separation agreement between Martin and the City of Coachella, both parties agreed to a non-disparagement clause—intended to prevent either side from publicly criticizing the other.
But during a city meeting on March 17, Patterson made a series of pointed comments seemingly aimed at his predecessor. Among them, Patterson suggested that Martin had made “many promises,” hired people who “shouldn’t have been hired,” and claimed Martin “was not a finance person,” while positioning himself as a CPA with superior knowledge of city operations.
“I apologize for my predecessor,” Patterson said at one point, directly violating the spirit—and possibly the terms—of the agreement.
Now, NBC Palm Springs has learned that Martin’s legal representation has issued a cease and desist letter to the city, citing breach of the settlement agreement and public defamation.
Why do these incidents keep happening in Coachella and CVUSD? One possible answer: people can’t seem to stop talking—even when silence is what the lawyers recommend.
While the legal risk to the city could grow, some say the transparency—intentional or not—is oddly refreshing. Every time someone like Patterson, or CVUSD’s Jesus Gonzalez or Julia Acuña, speaks publicly, it sheds more light on internal operations and power struggles.
And if nothing else, as one commentator noted: it makes things a lot more fun.
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By: NBC Palm Springs
April 17, 2025
