Protestors speak out against two council votes
CALEXICO — Protestors Friday evening gathered at the intersection of Highways 111 and 98 to express their dismay with two recent actions by the Calexico City Council.
During its meeting Wednesday, the council disbanded the city’s Ad Hoc COVID-19 committee and voted to use some available funds to purchase a police car rather than fix public restrooms.
The potential of the committee being disbanded or restructured was put before the Council, as “concerns have been raised on the duplications efforts of the committee and its impacts on city resources,” according to the meeting agenda.
The council established the committee on Dec. 16 to provide a mechanism to immediately address the impacts of COVID-19 on the city, its residents and businesses and the region, the agenda said.
The Council ultimately voted to disband the committee with a 3-2 vote, with Mayor Rosie Arreola-Fernandez, Mayor Pro Tem Javier Moreno and Councilman Camilo Garcia voting in favor.
As for the purchasing of a police car, the council was considering how best to spend the $147,889.23 that has been generated through the city’s cannabis tax.
The council had the option to allocate the funds to a number of departments, including Public Works, which it would use to fix the First Street restrooms.
While a motion to give the funds to Public Works was denied, a motion to give $ 73,000 to the Calexico Police Department so it could purchase a new police car and give the balance to the Calexico Fire Department was approved.
CPD Chief Gonzalo Gerardo said the city has not purchased a vehicle for the department since 2007.
“Every car that we’ve had, we’ve bought it through assets forfeiture and everything,” the chief said. “We have an old fleet that we bought in 2011, and it’s outdated. We’re spending a lot of money fixing these cars.”
The motion to allocate funds to
CPD and CFD was ultimately approved with a 3- 2 vote, with Mayor Arreola- Fernandez, Mayor Pro Tem Moreno and Councilman Garcia voting in favor.
Friday’s demonstration was organized by the citizen- led group Calexico Needs Change.