February 9th City Council Meeting
Hi,
This is Julie and I'm curious how the council meeting went? Any thoughts? I was busy collecting 25 more signatures and my husband had a late meeting at work, I'm hoping the Mayor didn't make more false claims and accusations like he did at the last meeting...
posted by Rafael Rodarte @ 9:47 PM
16 comments
16 Comments:
Hello,
I will tell you a little of the things that went on tonight at the city council meeting.
As usual Don Cambel managed to make an idiot of himself. 99.9% of his statements don't make any sense.
A man by the last name of Ward and his buddy (don't know his name) walked out full of anger.
Hey! Wasn't Ward that person who threatened to hurt someone a couple years ago?
Other than those two situations the city coucil meeting went great from what I saw in the 1 1/2 hour that i was there.
They explained to us how the new computer software was going to work.
Oh yhea! They also brought up Ben Garza's non-buisness trip expenses that were funded by the city while he was part of the city council. They seem to have no evidence of him refunding the city.
question: was ben garza mayor or city council member or both?
Soccorro Munoz fell asleep........
They also discussed the City vendor situation.
One lady wanted to know if it was illegal for her to sell merchandise out in the streets of Mcfarland.
Did i mention that Don made an idiot of him self?
A new member of our community (caucasian female) by the name of shelly i beleive! Shut Don Cambell up pretty good during the software discussion. Don was finally forced to agree with everyone else and of course Socorro concurred.
It was an Ok meeting.
It would have been better if you and your family were there julie!
It could have been a more exciting meeting.
Hope this helps....
Sorry its me again! i forgot one more thing.
They also discussed the 300,000 dollar loan that the city gave to R$F with no interest.
While i was there, i was thinking to my self? Hmmmmm......
Would i loan someon 300,000 dollars and expect nothing in return? I would have to be the biggest idiot in the World to do something like that.
I thought that the county lent R$F that loan!
That was a pretty good statement that CANTU made. He is smarter than i thought.
Oh yes! They also discussed Ben garza's comments that he made at the last council meeting. I wasn't there so i do not know what they were talking about.
Does anyone know?
If i remeber anything else i will let you know.....
Thanks and very interesting! I made it to the last 10-15 minutes but I guess the fun part was the first hour. I'll have to request the tapes.
Ben Garza was a city council member, Ruben Garza was the mayor...I think that's why people get confused. Ben was never mayor. As for trip expenses funded by the city...did they say which ones? What trip(s) did he take that was not business related? Did the city pay for his wife to fly somewhere?...I doubt it.
Sorry we couldn't make it, we really wish we could have, but I got alot accomplished tonight in regards to the recall.
Thanks for your input. :)
Oh yhea! The new computer software that the city baught for 50,000 dollars is going to keep track of all the city expenses on a monthly bases. I think that one of the lawyers or city administrators mentioned something about missing information from the past due to the lack of record keeping from from the previous administration.
I don't remeber everything by detail, but if someone out there can give complete detail, please, feel free to correct me.
They said something about a trip to washington.
Just saw your second post. Did you read further down the blog that it wasn't the city that loaned R&F the money? It was the county, the document is on that blog section.
Ben made lots of comments that night: He's not running for Mayor, he bought land because he has money and it has nothing to do with the title of Council Member, people who are creating accusations about him should go get educated...I need to listen to the tape again to see what he said. I'll expand on this section some more, I know some people were offended.
Thanks for listening julie and goodnight.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
To the above(1st comment):
My name is John A.Ward.
It was wrong for Melendez
& Cantu to state any city
issues after meeting was
closed to public. Why ?
Because every thing they
stated was B.S. All they
were doing was trying to
cover up thier mistakes
by inventing fabrications
on excouncilmembers. Show
me "documentation". Also
why is "public records"
denied.This was a problem
in our pass council. Lets
get something straight now
Mr.Garza is not to be blamed or his family members any more. I am &
damn proud of it. Several
years back,I did not like
the way our city govt. was
moving on some issues that
involved Wastewater Plant.
Memos to city officials were useless(same now),so
I started going to council
meetings.Guess what? Not 1
person from the public was
in attendance.From that
day,myself & Mr. Coker(my
buddy mentioned above)began
getting the public aware
of our city govt.Also let
me state that Mr.Coker had
a brother on the council.
We did not agree or support
several issues with this
excouncil. Speaking for
myself,this council & mayor
are about to get our city
in dire straights. Any one
out there who cares for our
city,take time to talk to
me & see all my dated city
documents.I stood my ground
against city to this very
day. Lost my home,lost my
job(25yrs.)I hope someday
the citizens of McFarland
will understand what I have
done to help this city.
Before any one answers this
talk to me first instead of
second hand gossip.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Mr. ward, (post this message)
If i can recall, weren't you employed by the city?
Weren't you part of the wastewater managment section? I understand why you are upset! I would also be uspset if i was taking advantage of the cities resources and then got fired!!!
Weren't you living on city property for FREE?
Didn't the game warrden have you arrested for refusing to protect wild life animals (DUCKS LAYING EGGS)?
Didn't you on several occasions refuse to wear the city employee uniform?
Didn't you constantly harrassss!! city employees?
Didn't you use the city vehicle for personal use? On city gas? Lots of times?
Weren't you given several warnings by the city to vacate the city property?
Weren't you working overtime all the time?
The fact is mr. ward, that you took advantage of the city of Mcfarland for 25years. That is why you got fired!!
You were constantly ignoring city rules and policies and doing as you pleased.
THIS AIN'T RUMOR THIS IS FACT!
Of course you aint against garza, he never had you fired!
Sorry for the second hand gossip, but it seems to me that a lot of people know about all the CRAP that you pulled while you were a city employee.
I am pretty sure the city has documents regarding your employment period and your insabordination. You should ask for those in the next city council meeting.
It's too bad for you! that the new city council did not put up with your crap any longer.
Aren't you really good friends with CAMBELL. Didn't he protect you on several occaions?
THIS IS FACT, NOT RUMOR!
THIS IS FACT, NOT FICTION!
THIS IS WHAT YOU DID TO THE CITIZENS OF MCFARLAND!
LIVE WITH IT!!!!!!!!!
How do you expect to get a straight answer out of some one who drove his motorcycle in to the back of a truck going 80 mph while three sheets to the wind and snow blind. I think I would talk in riddles to. Maybe in his own mind he thinks what he is doing is all right. The disappointing thing is I voted for the shmuck because I thought he could make things change, well he did from bad to worst.
Julie: Date & time of next
meeting ?
Hello,
I have just now had the opportunity to read the inscription written by someone claiming to have all the facts regarding John Ward former City Employee. Well, from all of us who actually matter and give a damn about your very ignorant and so called "FACTS" only to refer to it as second-hand gossip as I continued reading, we already either
know who you are or at least know where you are gaining your ignorant "FACTS" as you so strongly refer. Boy! There's a sucker born everyday! Your "FACTS" are as laughable today as they were the very first time I heard them when they were used as excuses to cover up the abusive treatment that John Ward received by the City Administration after John exposed some of their intentional negligence to State Government Sources. If you are not yet so educatedly informed, might I educate you a little in the field of local governing activity. The "Buck" does not stop at the City Government authority. There are laws and regulations that allow the State Government more authority and the responsibility to enforce any government intities who fail to comply to those laws and regulations not only applied to them , but to all governing intities among the entire State of California. Given the credibility of your so called "FACTS", I was'nt so sure you were aware of this knowledge. There was one issue that I did happen to agree with you. There most definitely should be some form of documentation recorded that verifies nearly all those claims that you made about John Ward that you so strongly refer to as "FACTS". Yet, someone who uses the word insubordination with such conviction, might try learning how to spell the word correctly. My intention in writing this statement, is to respond to each and every one of those claims you made in your statement about John Ward posted on 02/13/2006 at 12:52 am that you declare to be facts. With a little luck and less gullibility in the source who provided your second-hand gossip information about John Ward, you might actually learn a thing or two about the difference between true fact and fiction or in this case fabrication. You might wonder who I am to possibly have more credibility in being able to provide information that appears to have more truth to it than that you have provided from your second-hand gossip sources. Interested or not, anyone who may be interested lacks the ignorance of the true facts, may prefer to receive an assessment straight from the lion's mouth having actually lived through the true facts of this subject. I have been married to John Ward for over 11 years and proud that he has chosen to commit and share his life with me. I have the utmost confidence, wager any respectibility I may hold as an honest individual, have no problem publically stating that John has never in any manner portrayed any insubordination on the job that you have so losely claimed in your statement, since I have known and been married to the man while he was employed and served the City of McFarland. With all that information you provided in your statement, you must obviously share some acquaintance share some form of personal relationship with John that leaves you so confident that you are conveniently equipt with all the "FACTS" you believe to be true. I truely doubt that you share any acquaintance with John what-so-ever. I strongly believe this because the claims you have made extends into the character of his personal and my own. It would obviously mean that you must also be acquainted with me as well. I'd be very interest in learning any "FACTS" that you have about me. No, I challenge you to remain anonnymous and share any facts about me no matter how significant or even if it holds no significance at all and write me back a response. Let's take a test drive into your credibility. I have taken up too much space and still have not achieved my intentions that I was hoping to pass on to this community. I did not intend to take up so much space attempting to put this joker in his or her place. I hope that you are able to forgive me for selfishly doing so. But, I simply felt so compelled. Though I must cease at this time, I will be back and try to be a little more brief in getting my point accross. I have every intention of responded to every claim made by this person who believes or is trying to persuade the community that he is equipt with the "FACTS". Regardless of whether he choses to take my challenge into consideration or not. And the saga continue at a later time.
Sincerely,
Sandra Ward
DATE AND TIME OF NEXT MEETING:
We will be having a meeting March 1st at 6:00pm at Maria's Pizza. We'll be doing a final tally of signatures from everyone collecting them but anyone who woud like to attend are more than welcomed. Our last meeting, Feb. 15, our signature count was approx. 665 for each council member. Everyone agreed to collect 20 more each and we should have about 850 for each hopefully.
Hello,
Sandra Ward here. I just felt the need to finish my response regarding my husband John's dismissal from the City's employ. Though I would have no need to do so, had it not been for the person who posted all those ignorant so called "FACTS" on 2/13/06 at 12:52 am which only proves just how misinformed people could be. It just so happens that people of such nature who create all the wrong answers and "FACTS" happen to also create the problems and are just as responsible for creating an ailing government body as those who have actually done the wrongdoing. I will comment to each of those claims that will also be proven in a Federal Court in the near future anyway. First, John Ward was in no way shape or form fired or terminated for any insubordinate act what-so-ever. He was dismissed when he refused to accept a position with the private company, Severn Trent that the City contracted out in hopes that they would bring the Sewer Plant back into compliance that the Administration were responsible for creating leading it out of compliance. John refused to resign from the City and go to work for Severn Trent which would have resulted in a significant cut in pay, offered no secure benefits or job stability and along with other significant reasons, would have legally forced John to remain silent in the event of further wrongdoing. To comment on that was made towards the idea that John and I had use of the property rent free is so ludicrous. Actually, I forgive that comment because a very misinformed media source published that in an article. John and I were the only parties involved forced to lose any money from the arrangement made to have our home located on the property. In fact the only reason for the move was to allow John to emphasize more on his job without if severely effecting his personal life. When you consider the fact that John saved the City several years the expense of hiring additional qualified employees to help with the heavy workload and fill in for all working shifts that are required to operate a Sewer Plant, the City benefitted from the arrangement well before John and I ever could in free labor alone. Another fact to consider is that we resided peacefully without any complaints for over five years until John reported to the State Water Boards after the City Administration continued to ignore their responsibilities in providing funds to prevent potential public health risks when the new housing developments begun and growth began to come to city. How would you like it if you had bought one of those brand new homes and began residing only to have all your sewer pipes back up on you shortly after because the old lines and the Plant could not support the extra load. Because the State came down on the City for their negligence, John had no conflict with the Administration for a record time of over 15 years service. During all the time we resided in our home peacefully for those first years, John and I managed to invest over $60,000 of our own money into our home and the surrounding area of the Plant and the City was never responsible for one penny until they chose to break the agreement that was made when we moved there. In fact the Plant gained a separate extended utility line that we paid for after our home was moved. In fact, if John and I had not been so naive and trust the City Administration with the investment that we made, we would still have our home in town that was rent free because it was already paid off and mortgage obligation. The game warden issue is a new one though which is laughable. If anything John tried to create a bird sanctuary at the far west end lagoons of the Plant when he created an island for the birds to flourish. Not only did he do this, he also provided security to keep all dove hunters and any bird hunters away from the sewer Plant. No, John was never arrested by the game warden. All the other claims were a desperate attempt to find any excuse to create a hostile working environment for John. Had they been justified, they would have been some written evidence in his personnel file that included only information that made John appear to have a virtually perfect performance evaluation. Did he harass other employees is even a more ludicrous assumption. What would you call if another City employee peeking throught the livingroom windows of my home to invade our privacy be considered? Would that be a of harassment? As far as John using his vehicle for personal use. There was no such thing. On the rare occasion that the City did finally give into training additional operators of the which only gave John more to do, John operated that Plant virtually alone all shifts and made himself available to continue the operations of the Plant day and night. There was no such thing as personal use of the vehicle when your considered to be on the job every moment that you are awake. The only employee that actually received his certification and was supposedly meant to ease some of John's workload only created more problems for John to clean up. John attempted to take some time off after the employee was certified only to return to problems that would not have been there if John simply continued supervising. For years and years the City has taken advantage of John's good faith and saved the expense of hiring employees needed at all hours of the Plant. It never happened. Overtime is a joke. John was performing the work of three men. He even caught the City when they attempted to pay the incorrect amount for overtime that is required by state law at which time they did not hesitate writing up an additional check for the difference on the spot. They could have been cheating him out of the correct amount for years and even continued on until John actually approached them on the issue. I can safely say without any reservation John Ward has served and done more for the City of McFarland than anyone in this communities history. He had given 110% of his energy to his job up to the very day they informed him that the City had no work for him when he refused the position with Severn Trent continuing his duties professionally until he turned in his work truck and walked away. He also offered to be of assistance to the new operator from Severn Trent at anytime he could be of assistance until they were established expecting no compensation in return. It bothers me that John is no longer employed by the City, but it eases my mind that they can no longer take advantage of him even when his health was at risk they took advantage. I know, I was there. We missed out on so many holidays and there were times that John was not even given the consideration of allowing him some time when he lost his parents. It was pathetic. The only thing John Ward is guilty of, is attempting to make the public realize they have a right to know where their taxpaying dollars are going and expose any of our City Officials who neglect or abuse those duties that so many have given their trust to uphold when they were elected. The Severn Trent contract is also a questionable issue to look into as well. Because now, the City is not only paying a monthly expense to contract with the company, any work done or needed the City also pays for and to my knowledge, there has not been any significant improvement that brings the Plant any closer to compliance then when John operated it. What first began any desire to get rid of John, which was his ability to freely create public scrutiny of the City Officials actions, has now turned into a personal attack and to discriminate by the former Pro Tem City Administrator and the Mayor who managed to gain two votes to back up everything he choses when the two new Officials were elected. All they are, are 'yes men' and the extra votes to overpower the entire Council. They are'nt interested in working for the people they are only interested in working for themselves otherwise would'nt there ever be an impartial vote once in a while. I am sorry to use up so much space, but it also gave me an opportunity that I did not nor would have to actually express our side to the conflict for those who are aware. I thank you for the space and the opportunity to at least express ourselves when so many believe otherwise after hearing and learning from those who attempt to hide the truth away from their own guilt.
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