San Luis recall group claims excessive council charges

SAN LUIS, Ariz. – Residentes en Defensa del Pueblo (Residents in Defense of the People), having gathered nearly 600 signatures of support, made it known that in August it will turn in recall petitions against the mayor and three councilmen.

On Monday (July 14), Jorge Gallegos, spokesman for the group, said the signature-gathering progress has been positive, considering "we have not dedicated ourselves to doing it 100 percent, and some are not yet in that total."

Gallegos stated the goal is to gather at least 1,000 signatures to carry a recall election against Mayor Juan Carlos Escamilla and Councilmen Archibaldo Gurrola, Marco Antonio Reyes Jr. and Rafael Torres.

"We are being very careful to ensure the outcome of the process is good, and that is why we got the advice of an attorney and from people like Carlos Bernal and Jorge Villicaña, who know how to handle things in the city and the council," Gallegos said.

To start a recall process against the mayor, they need to gather 670 signatures, while the number needed to recall councilmen is 650.

Gallegos felt certain those numbers will be exceeded and that they would reach the goal of a 1,000 signatures because "there are many people in the community who are not in agreement with the way the city is being handled."

Residentes en Defensa del Pueblo is assisted by attorney John Minore, who, Gallegos points out, reviews in detail each sheet of the petition to avoid any from being disqualified by the offices of the city or county clerk, where the petitions will be reviewed.

By meeting the required number of signatures and filing the petition in August, the recall election would be held on the same day as the upcoming general election, therefore, it would not cost the city. Otherwise, it would come during a costly special election in March 2009.

The spokesman made it known the group declined the invitation of Juan Manuel Guerrero, a representative of Alianza de Liderazgo Comunitario (Alliance of Community Leadership), to start a dialog with the mayor and councilmen.

Gallegos pointed out that last week, Guerrero tried to firm up a dialogue between the parties, but "we do not use intermediaries and feel there was an Alianza interest to give itself personal credit," Gallegos said. He indicated that "we looked for a personal dialogue with them (mayor and councilmen) from the beginning, but it hasn't happened."

Guerrero lamented the group's decision to not accept his offer. He emphasized he did this on his own and was not representing the Alianza de Liderazgo Comunitario.

"I live in Somerton, but I have family in San Luis, as well as in Yuma. We are all affected by what is happening in San Luis," he said.

"I did not try to impose anything and only saw there could be an option for dialogue to avoid the recall with someone impartial who would mediate without being in favor of any of the groups; but it seems it is not the time and things are very poisoned."

Guerrero said he remains willing to open a dialogue. "I am grateful for the opportunity they gave to me to talk with them, but it seems they have decided to go forth and fix things as they see fit."

Mayor Escamilla hoped the group would be open to talking. "I have tried to talk with them and kept the doors open to dialogue, but I did not know the result of the conversation they had to see if we would talk."

Escamilla had this to say about the group's signature-gathering effort: "We are not going to govern with the worry, but we are not going to ignore it either. The work must go forth."

Residentes en Defensa del Pueblo is looking at the expenses of the mayor and the councilmen that were paid with city credit cards because they believe they were superfluous and excessive.

The group obtained copies of purchase orders for expenses during work travels by the councilmen to congresses or work meetings in the country and south of the border.

"For a poor city such as ours, (they) should watch the spending and represent the city as what it is - a city that is poor," said Gallegos.

The expense receipts will be analyzed by their attorney. If Minore detects possible irregularities with the use of the credit cards, the group would then have to decide if they want to call for an investigation or an audit.

Among the expenses on the records obtained by the group were $1,770 that Escamilla spent during a session of the Arizona-Mexico Commission, Nov. 15-17, 2006, when he stayed at the Las Palomas Resort in Puerto Peñasco (Rocky Point), Mexico.

Similar expenses ($1,805) were incurred by the councilmen in August 2006 while attending the League of Arizona Cities and Towns Conference in Tucson. Councilmen Reyes and Torres, accompanied by former administrator Lee Maness, and Mayor Escamilla stayed at the Marriott Hotel in Tucson.

"Investigate these charges, it cannot be allowed while they tell us the city is in hardship, they serve themselves with the 'large spoon,'" said Gallegos, who believes the councilmen could have saved the city some expenses during these trips.

Another example is the councilmen's attendance at the Annual Conference of National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) July 26-28, 2007, when they stayed four nights at the Disney Resort, in Orlando, Fla., which cost municipal coffers $3,720.

Also, Councilman Archibaldo Gurrola used the city credit card on Nov. 22 to pay $82.11 for a room at Microtel Inn and Suites, of Yuma. Later he reimbursed the city for the charge, alleging he had used the city card by mistake.

"I did not do it on purpose, it was a mistake on my part, but they have a right like any person of the community, to see the numbers and ask for them if they want," the councilman said about it.

But, Gurrola maintained, there is nothing irregular. "I do not see any legal problem, I have an account at the same bank and that is why I got confused and mixed up the cards; I don't have any objections to their investigating."

Although he agreed the group is within its right to ask for an accounting and investigate, Councilman Torres said, "(They) want to find something where there isn't anything. This is not going to stop, (they) started with the water fees increase, that was never presented to the council; (they) continued with the city payroll; and now its the council expenses, what will be the next topic?"

Torres stated the city has annual audits, "where any irregularity would have come up. Last year was the most thorough audit in the last 10 or 15 years and there were neither irregularities nor red numbers. If (they) want an investigation or a special audit, let them do it, the city records are open, but (they) should pay for it, if (they) say their concern is to save the city money."

The councilmen attending out-of-town congresses, Torres added, is beneficial because they contact other officials and exchange useful information for their jobs, but this year, they will only attend one congress because of the city's financial situation.

"We, councilmen, have to promote the city and have contact with other communities; those congresses have officers and elected officials from all over the country in attendance, we cannot be isolated or think we can promote the city by staying here," he said.

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Cesar Neyoy is a staff writer for Bajo El Sol, The Sun's Spanish-language sister publication from which this story is reprinted.