MARC JACOBS
Hutch Post
Ed. Note: We revised the story below with a notification from the City of Hutchinson in regard to a special city council meeting.
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — In an email to Eagle Media at 8:45 a.m. Wednesday sent by City Attorney Cody Smith, stated the following. Hutchinson City Manager Enrico Villegas and City Attorney Cody Smith announced Wednesday that Sept. 9 is their final day working for the city, citing what they described as an increasingly hostile and untenable working environment.
In a joint statement, Villegas and Smith said they would have preferred to continue serving Hutchinson and did not make the decision lightly.
. . .
Here is the text of that statement: "Statement Regarding Our Departure
From Enrico Villegas, City Manager and Cody Smith, City Attorney
Today, September 9, 2026, is our last day as City Manager and City Attorney for the City of Hutchinson.
We would have preferred to continue serving the City, and we have not reached this decision lightly. Following the concerns we raised regarding the Hutchinson Recreation Commission, the Hutch Rec Foundation, and the Dillon Nature Center Foundation, the working environment became increasingly hostile and untenable. In our experience, Council member Stacy Goss’s continued conduct has been a principal contributor to that environment.
The cumulative effect of these circumstances has left us feeling that we have no reasonable choice but to leave.
We are proud of the work we have done for the City and the Hutchinson community, and we are grateful for the opportunity to have served.
Our departure does not change or diminish the concerns we raised. We believe those concerns remain important and should be addressed through the appropriate channels.
Enrico Villegas, Cody Smith"
. . .
They said the working environment deteriorated after they raised concerns involving the Hutchinson Recreation Commission, Hutch Rec Foundation and Dillon Nature Center Foundation.
“In our experience, Council member Stacy Goss’s continued conduct has been a principal contributor to that environment,” Villegas and Smith said.
They did not provide specific examples of Goss’s alleged conduct in the statement.
“The cumulative effect of these circumstances has left us feeling that we have no reasonable choice but to leave,” the statement said.
Villegas and Smith said they remain proud of their work for the city and grateful for the opportunity to serve the Hutchinson community.
They added that their departure does not change the concerns they previously raised regarding Hutch Rec and the two foundations.
“We believe those concerns remain important and should be addressed through the appropriate channels,” they said.
The statement did not provide information about who will temporarily assume the city manager and city attorney duties.
The City of Hutchinson announced at 10:03 a.m. they will hold a special meeting on Wednesday, September 9 at 1:00 p.m. at City Hall.