Following an independent investigation, City Manager Scotty Douglass terminated Steve Gesell’s employment with the city of Cottonwood effective September 14, 2023.
To ensure that a high level of service will continue for our community, Commander Chris Dowell will continue as Acting Police Chief while Douglass determines the timing and steps necessary to select Gesell’s replacement.
At all levels, city of Cottonwood staff are held to a high standard of accountability, ethics, trustworthiness, service to the community and respectful treatment of their co-workers. It is the city manager’s responsibility to ensure that all violations of employment policies and/or procedures are diligently examined, and if substantiated, to take appropriate and necessary action. City of Cottonwood Municipal Code Section 2.16.080 authorizes the city manager “To appoint and remove all officers and employees of the city except the elected officers and the magistrate and city attorney and their respective staffs.”
Any and all inquiries regarding this matter should be directed to the city manager’s office at (928) 634-5526.
