Socorro ethics commission finds violation and directs counsel to issue reprimand

The City of Socorro Ethics Commission denied a request for a continuance, heard a five-minute rebuttal from Mayor Cruz and, after retiring to executive session under Texas Government Code Section 551.071, found a violation and directed commission counsel to issue a letter of reprimand.

The commission’s action concluded a continuation of an ethics hearing brought over a complaint described at the hearing as involving a former city council member, identified in the record as "Ivan Colombo Lobos." Commission staff said a request for an extension by Yvonne Villalobos was received the morning of the meeting but did not meet the ordinance’s written-notice requirement for additional continuances. Monica, who addressed procedural questions for staff, told commissioners that “based on the ordinance, there's only 1 automatic continuance that is granted under the ordinance,” and that subsequent continuances must be delivered in writing at least three days before the scheduled hearing.

The commission first gave Mayor Cruz up to five minutes for a rebuttal. Mayor Cruz used that time to criticize witness statements he said referenced his Native American heritage and religious practices and to urge the commission to address what he described as false statements made publicly. “My initial request to Miss Columbia Lobos has always been a simple apology,” Cruz said during his remarks, adding that he had not yet received one.

After the rebuttal the commission moved into executive session for consultation with legal counsel under Texas Government Code Section 551.071 and a provision of the City of Socorro Charter cited in the record. When the body reconvened in open session it announced that it had determined there was a violation and that a letter of reprimand would be issued by counsel. The open-session record does not name the individual to whom the reprimand will be addressed beyond the person identified earlier in the hearing record as the subject of the complaint.

Commissioners present during the votes were Jorge Estrada, Roxanne Jurado and Ricardo Avalos; Francisco Villalobos and Melissa Lagunas were absent. The commission voted to deny the continuance request and later voted to adopt the recommendation for a reprimand; recorded votes in the open record were three ayes and two members absent on both motions. The meeting was called to order at 6:47 p.m.; the commission entered executive session at about 7:01 p.m. and adjourned at 7:21 p.m.

The hearing record shows this proceeding continued an earlier hearing held Jan. 22. The agenda item referenced the City of Socorro Charter, section 3.08, and the Texas Government Code section 551.071 as the legal bases for the executive-session consultation with counsel. The commission’s statement that it would issue a written decision and that counsel would prepare the reprimand was recorded in open session; no text of the reprimand or an explicit timetable for issuance was provided in the public minutes.