CALEXICO – Although the City Council seats rotated in their first regular meeting on Wednesday, January 17, with Gloria Romo appointed mayor and Gilberto Manzanarez appointed mayor pro-tem, Mayor Gloria Romo was hit with recall papers a few minutes after taking the gavel.
“I believe it’s important as the person who was in charge of the other recall paperwork to maybe conclude today with the correction,” said Maritza Hurtado, the lead organizer for the recall committee. “Because we didn’t go after one person here and I think it’s important to rectify that by serving her (Gloria Romo) with recall papers.”
The Calexico recall signatures for Mayor Pro-Tem Manzanarez and Councilmember Raul Ureña were sent to the County and got into the verification process on November 2023. Later on, a special election for April 16 with an estimated amount of $125,000 was voted by the City Council at the end of December.
The reorganization item was addressed as number 16 in the “discussion and potential items” in the agenda. Manzanarez made a motion to appoint Gloria Romo as the next mayor and the City Council voted 3-2 votes with Gloria Romo, Manzaranez and Ureña in favor and Councilmembers Javier Moreno and Camilo Garcia against the motion.
For mayor pro-tem a motion to appoint Manzanarez was made by Ureña, also passing 3-2 votes with Gloria Romo, Manzaranez and Ureña in favor and Councilmembers Moreno and Garcia against the motion.
Mayor Pro-Tem Manzanarez made a comment about the rotation procedures that are done on an annual basis.
“Even before I was a council member, there’s been animosity in the city when it comes to choosing their mayors and vice mayors,” Mayor Pro-Tem Manzanarez said. “I kept getting one answer from my elected officials: ‘It’s just a title, it doesn’t matter, we’re all council members, we’re all the same, no one’s on top of the other one.’”
“The actual City of Calexico ordinance states that we as a council elect our mayor and vice mayors,” Mayor Pro-Tem Manzanarez said. “I’d love for the city to finally formalize who’s going to be the mayor or vice-mayor just like the cities in the rest of the county do, right?”
Councilmember Moreno rebutted Mayor Pro-Tem Manzanarez’s comment saying that the rotation is already stated in the law and there was no need for other polices.
“It’s already been in law by federal and state governments,” Councilmember Moreno said. “It’s not about laws, it’s about egos and personalities, that’s all it is.”
Senator Steve Padilla and Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia’s representatives were present at the meeting recognizing Councilmember Ureña for their service in their mayorship from March 2023 to January 2024.
As the new Calexico mayor, Gloria Romo shared some words of gratitude.
“I hope to receive from all of you (Calexico City) your trust to carry out the functions of mayor as consistently and appropriately as possible, always having the well-being of the entire community as its main objective,” Mayor Romo said. “Please, pray for me. Viva Calexico.”
