Poway Councilmember Tony Blain has been under investigation for more than half of his time in office.
He’s been accused of harassing, bullying and abusing city staff in hundreds of emails filled with threats, demands and, sometimes, outright lies. He has also made some of his own allegations in response.
Now, an independent investigation has revealed that Blain did engage in abusive and offensive conduct toward at least two city officials.
How It Started
I previously reported that Blain’s excessive and threatening emails to city staff members began before he was elected to office, according to public records. Once he was elected, it only got worse.
The situation came to a head during a City Council meeting in January when City Attorney Alan Fenstermacher accused Blain of threats, harassment and bullying directed at himself, other staff members and residents. He revealed that Blain had sent him multiple emails threatening to have him fired or demanding his resignation.
These threats were often in retaliation to Fenstermacher declining to answer some of Blain’s questions or giving Blain an answer he wasn’t pleased with, Fenstermacher said.
Records revealed that Blain was engaging in similar behavior with Chris Hazeltine, Poway’s city manager. And a few of Blain’s threatening emails were even directed at residents.
This earned Blain the city’s first-ever censure, or formal reprimand. Fenstermacher and Hazeltine also submitted complaints to the city’s Human Resources department, which prompted the independent investigation.
The Findings
The final report of the investigation, which took more than three months, is 78 pages and includes more than 2,000 pages of supporting documents, including numerous emails from Blain to city staff members beginning in 2023.
It categorizes each complaint as either “sustained,” “sustained in part” or “not sustained.”
The investigation fully sustained, or supported, allegations that Blain made “abusive or offensive” statements to or about Hazeltine and Fenstermacher. The findings also fully supported claims that Blain “spread gossip, rumors, or innuendo” to or about Fenstermacher, and partially supported those same claims regarding Hazeltine.
It partially supported allegations that Blain made “insulting, humiliating or degrading” statements to or about Hazeltine and Fenstermacher. And it partially supported allegations that Blain made statements that were “inappropriate personal comments, belittling, opinions or unjustified criticism” to or about both city officials.
None of Blain’s complaints against the city officials were supported in the investigation.
“[The report] essentially confirms in every count that I’ve been bullied and abused in the year 2025 by an elected official, and it’s been very tough on me personally,” Fenstermacher said at Tuesday’s City Council meeting. “I’ve never experienced treatment like this in my entire life, and as a 15-year career lawyer, I’ve seen a lot.”
Blain, who participated remotely in Tuesday’s meeting, seemed to downplay the investigation and, asked Mayor Steve Vaus to “step down and get out.”
“You just spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to come up with a conclusion that nothing illegal happened from an HR standpoint, and that Councilmember Blain is sometimes abrupt and rude,” Blain said. “That’s the conclusion of what you guys just heard, there is no other conclusion no matter how you slice it.”
A Costly Few Months
The Poway City Council discussed the findings of the investigation on Tuesday, with Mayor Vaus and Councilmember Peter DeHoff emphasizing the financial impact of Blain’s conduct.
“We’ve already directly tallied hundreds of thousands of dollars in realized liability, or costs, from legal bills and investigative processes that had to occur,” DeHoff said. “All of these expenses were required because of Tony’s behavior, and, in this case, California law requires an investigation due to the extent and severity of Blain’s harassment.”
What’s not yet included, DeHoff said, is the likely upcoming costs of legal fees and settlements that could reach seven figures.
“That’s your money,” DeHoff said, speaking to residents in the audience.
He went on to explain that because the city and water boards are combined in Poway, these financial damages get paid, not just through the general fund, but a significant chunk of them will appear in residents’ water and sewer bills.
“That’s the ‘Tony Tax’ and it’s not going away,” he said. “If Tony was to resign today, we’re all still on the hook for the current costs as well as the unrealized liability. And the longer he clings to his seat, the bigger that bill becomes.”
Vaus added that Blain’s conduct has already cost the city $250,000.
“These findings alone will surely cost the city a pretty penny, if and when a claim is filed,” Vaus said at the meeting. “A million dollars is not anywhere out of the realm of possibility.”
Mayor Wants Blain Recalled
To conclude the discussion, Vaus urged Poway residents to recall Blain and remove him from office, which requires a vote of District 2 residents.
A grassroots recall effort is already underway to remove Blain from office led by two former Poway councilmembers, John Mullin and Anita Edmondson.
“We on the Council cannot remove him from office … you are the only ones with the power to make things right,” Vaus said to Poway residents from the dias on Tuesday. “I’m thankful for the grassroots effort to recall Blain … if you live in District 2, you need to step up soon.”
He also announced that the City Council will consider a second censure at the July 15 City Council meeting.
In Other News
- ICYMI: Poway is reconsidering how much the city will charge developers who opt-out of including affordable units in their housing projects. They currently charge the lowest fee in the county. (Voice of San Diego)
- The Oceanside Planning Commission approved a major redevelopment plan for the Oceanside Transit Center that includes more than 500 apartment units, a boutique hotel, retail spaces and more. (Coast News)
- The Carlsbad City Council voted not to support a proposed state ballot measure called Our Neighborhood Voices that seeks to return land use and zoning control to local governments. (Coast News)
- Related: Read more about the grassroots effort led by city leaders across California to restore local control over housing decisions here. (Voice of San Diego)
Honestly, the vague accusations described in this article don’t support the claims made against Blain. Yes, he was critical of staff, but these people get paid a lot of money and subject to criticism for their performance from time to time. As to the supposed ‘costs’, most of it is self inflicted as the city undertook these investigations its own discretion. To the degree they were ‘necessary’, which is highly doubtful, then that is just the price of democracy, which we should be more than willing undertake.
Where is the link to the investigation report? The link at the top of the article goes nowhere. This should be included so those of us who care can look at the full information.
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