During the September 13 Brentwood City Council Meeting, Councilmember Jovita Mendoza called for the censure of Vice Mayor Johnny Rodriquez.
The action occurred during Future Agenda Items portion of the meeting.
“I received calls regarding some behavior regarding vice mayor Johnny Rodriquez. I had spoken to one other councilperson regarding it and we would like to censure vice mayor Johnny Rodriquez. We were told that we were supposed to the mayor but we didn’t know we were going to want to censure him so there is no where else for me to do it other than in future agenda item. So mayor, I would like to censure Vice Mayor Johnny Rodriquez and I am not sure if it’s a closed session where we discuss his behavior and actions or if we do it out in public. Too me they are serious and we need to discuss it,” explained Mendoza.
Mayor Joel Bryant asked for clarification by the city attorney Damien Brower who noted they have a policy—stating he doesn’t see how this can come forward without taking action to the policy first.
“It is a council policy but if the council wants to change the policy that can be discussed. Then that would permit this to move forward,” explained Brower who said a future agenda item is not permitted by the current policy.
Mendoza then requested at the next meeting if they could bring back the policy to discuss the censure.
Brower said it didn’t work that way and there were a “number of steps” that had to occur before someone gets censured by the council including the hiring of an investigator to look into the allegations.
“We can go ahead and start it though, its fine,” stated Mendoza.
Brower said the future agenda can look at the policy for “ethics and conduct” and the council can discuss how they want to amend it.
“I am concerned,” stated Mendoza “I called you after one of them calling the police department because I was concerned for somebody’s safety.”
Brower immediately cut her off stating she had explained her request and he explained what they could do and placed on the agenda as ethics and conduct policy and how it can be amended.
“Not the specifics of the allegation,” stated Brower.
No other discussion occurred.
Editors note:
Per the exchange at the council meeting, it is unclear what the allegation is, when it occurred or what transpired. It is also unclear which councilmember Jovita Mendoza spoke to regarding the censure prior to bringing it up at the meeting.
Vice Mayor Johnny Rodriquez has issued no statement regarding the allegations.
1 comment
Ethics is suppose to be upheld at all costs and to suggest otherwise is condoning/enabling unethical behavior. I was under the impression that the appearance of unethical behavior was at a very minimum to be investigated.
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