Councilman’s dual roles spur lawsuit

D.A. wants Maywood official removed from water board, citing a conflict of interest.

Los Angeles County prosecutors have filed a lawsuit to remove Maywood City Councilman Sergio Calderon from a regional water board, claiming that holding both offices is a conflict of interest and violates state law.

Calderon, 40, is a board member of the Water Replenishment District of Southern California and oversees a division that includes southeast L.A. County cities, including Maywood.

The lawsuit, which prosecutors filed Wednesday, says the two positions “have overlapping territory, duties and responsibilities, and a clash of duties is likely to arise in the exercise of both offices simultaneously.”

Calderon could not be reached for comment Friday.

This is not the first time Calderon has drawn attention on the topic. Prosecutors filed a similar lawsuit in 2008 when they tried to remove him from the Maywood council because he was already serving on the water board.

Calderon resigned from his council post before the matter went to trial, but he was elected again in November 2015.

Last month, the state attorney general’s office issued an opinion on the matter that allowed prosecutors to move forward with the suit, according to the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office.

Prosecutors sought permission to sue Calderon in a process known as a quo warranto. After the attorney general grants approval, quo warranto actions allow individuals and public agencies to challenge a person’s right to hold office.

Earlier this year, prosecutors went through the same process when they filed a lawsuit against Carson Mayor Albert Robles, who serves on the same regional water board with Calderon. His case is pending.

Calderon has 30 days to respond to the civil action.