Elaine Forbes, the newly appointed city manager of Sausalito, California, was arrested after authorities accused her of unlawfully boarding a yacht at a local marina, reported New York Post. The arrest came less than three weeks after she took charge as the city’s top administrative official and only two days after the City Council placed her on administrative leave.
According to the Marin County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to a noise complaint at the Sausalito Yacht Harbor shortly before 7 am. When they arrived, they found Forbes aboard a yacht that investigators later determined did not belong to her.
Authorities said Forbes initially told deputies the vessel was her own and asked them to leave. She told officers she was having “a bad morning,” as per New York Post report.
Investigators later contacted the yacht’s owner, who told deputies Forbes did not have permission to be on the vessel. Based on that information, officers arrested the 53-year-old on suspicion of felony burglary, reported New York Post.
Forbes was booked into the Marin County Jail, where bail was set at $50,000. Authorities have not released further details about the alleged offence or said what led Forbes to board the yacht.
The arrest followed another unexpected development earlier in the week. On Thursday, the Sausalito City Council placed Forbes on administrative leave after holding a closed-door meeting. City officials have not disclosed the reason for that decision.
In a statement issued after the arrest, the City of Sausalito described the incident as “a difficult development for our City staff and our community.” The city added that it would not make further comments while the investigation continues. The City Council is expected to discuss the matter during its regular meeting on Tuesday.
A spokesperson representing Forbes urged the public not to rush to judgment. “Elaine has devoted much of her life to public service and is widely respected by the many people who have worked with her over the years,” the spokesperson said, reported New York Post.
The spokesperson also said, “Elaine is experiencing a mental health crisis. As the facts become clearer and Elaine obtains legal and healthcare counsel in the coming hours and days, we hope people will respond with compassion, patience and respect for her and her family during an extraordinarily difficult time.”
Who is Elaine Forbes?
Before joining Sausalito, Forbes built a long career in public administration and waterfront management in California. She was appointed Sausalito’s city manager in May and officially assumed the role on July 1. Her annual salary was set at $275,000, reported New York Post.
Before moving to Sausalito, Forbes spent nine years as executive director of the Port of San Francisco. She became the port’s director in 2016 after previously serving as interim director. At the time, she was among the few women leading a major port in the United States.
During her tenure, Forbes managed a workforce of around 270 employees and oversaw several large waterfront projects, reported New York Post. Her work included strengthening San Francisco’s aging seawall, preparing long-term plans to address rising sea levels along the Embarcadero and leading redevelopment efforts around the city’s waterfront.
She also became one of the leading voices behind the Fisherman’s Wharf Forward initiative. The proposal aimed to redevelop the former Alioto’s Restaurant site into a public plaza overlooking San Francisco’s historic fishing fleet.
Before becoming executive director, Forbes worked as the Port’s chief financial officer and deputy director for finance and administration. She also held senior financial positions with the San Francisco Planning Department and worked in public-sector and non-profit organisations focused on land use, urban development and economic planning, reported New York Post.