27-02-2025
Arvin Mayor calls out members of city council absent from Tuesday meeting
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — A video posted on Mayor Olivia Calderon's social media shows Tuesday's council meeting that was cancelled due to lack of quorum.
'The two members, Reyes and Horton, who are part of the previous administration that was investigated by the Grand Jury,' said Arvin Mayor Olivia Calderon. 'We've inherited now all of these issues that were caused because of the poor decisions that were made in the previous administration…both of those members failed to show up.'
Mayor Pro Tem, Susana Reyes, was unavailable for an interview, but shared an email sent to City Manager Jeff Jones Monday afternoon, saying she would not make it to the meeting. She said the mayor and current councilmembers seem to constantly seek the spotlight in ways that undermine her and councilmember Donny Horton.
Mr. Horton was not available for an interview either. City staff was informed about his absence due to a family emergency with enough time to cancel the meeting, but they failed to do so.
Horton also issued his disappointment in Mayor Calderon and Councilmember Perez for weaponizing his family emergency against him.
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Newly elected councilmember Jaime Perez said usually the City Manager will let other councilmembers know if officials will be absent, but in this instance they were not made aware.
'There is a lot of tension there, but, people need to take that to the side and treat is as this is not personal, it's a business,' said Councilmember Jaime Perez.
Pressing issues that were scheduled to be discussed in the meeting included the contract of interim City Attorney Nathan Hodges, a special election to fill the vacant council seat left by Juan Murillo, and quality of the roads, among others.
Applications are open for a permanent city attorney and the deadline is March 5.
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