*Golden, Colorado, City Manager Scott Vargo has been fired over his response to a racist display involving a Snoop Dogg doll inside a fire station in March.
According to KTLA, the City Council unanimously terminated Vargo on Tuesday, saying the city’s handling of the incident “did not meet expectations for action and accountability.” An interim city manager took over immediately.
The firing comes months after a “Snoop on a Stoop” ornament depicting Snoop Dogg was found hanging by its neck from a rope in a stairwell at a Golden Fire Department station. The item is a parody of the Christmas toy “Elf on the Shelf.”
The city investigated and fired the employee responsible for the display. However, other employees raised concerns that officials had failed to adequately address its seriousness and the racist history evoked by the imagery.
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“This is an extremely difficult moment for our City, but maintaining trust is fundamental to leadership,” Mayor Laura Weinberg said. “We are committed to accountability, meaningful change, and doing the work necessary to rebuild trust.”
The employees’ criticism eventually led city leaders to acknowledge shortcomings in their initial handling of the incident.
“Their feedback made clear that our response did not adequately reflect the seriousness of this incident or the impact it had on our employees and community,” officials said in July.
Golden also issued an apology to staffers, residents and visitors, specifically addressing its Black community and people who have experienced racism or discrimination.
“We recognize this was not simply an inappropriate workplace incident,” city officials said. “It was an act with deeply painful historical meaning.”
Officials acknowledged the display could cause “fear, anger, grief and a profound loss of trust.”
The fallout has now moved beyond the employee who created the display and Vargo’s removal.
Golden has commissioned an independent third-party investigation into the incident and the city’s handling of it. Council members said the review will help identify necessary changes and examine organizational and cultural concerns raised by employees and community members.
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