Though the Austin City Council passed its five-year Capital Improvement Plan and approved a rezoning for a potential strip mall, outgoing Council Member Marian Clennon became the focus of the council’s public meeting Monday night.

Clennon, in her last meeting as a council member, criticized the council, city staff, City Administrator Jim Hurm, and most notably Mayor Tom Stiehm in her last report as council member, saying she was bullied throughout her tenure, and claiming bullying is rampant throughout city offices. Clennon said she was bullied since she took office, when she was one of several city council members, including current members Steve King and Janet Anderson, to push for an outside investigation of the Austin Fire Department under then-fire chief Dan Wilson. Clennon said she met with City Administrator Jim Hurm and the city attorney in early 2009, who tried to dissuade her from looking into what she called the “toxic work environment” at the fire department.

Clennon said she was unfairly targeted by council members and city administration after the investigation.

“When someone finally solved the problem, I was the bad guy,” she said during the council meeting.

For more on Clennon’s report, Mayor Tom Stiehm’s response and the council’s decision regarding the city’s five-year capital improvement plan, check out the Tuesday print edition of the Herald.