Salinas councilmembers publicly call for censure proceedings after repeated social‑media and intergovernmental complaints

Several councilmembers used the Oct. 28 meeting’s council‑member reports to criticize the online conduct and outside complaints filed by Councilmember Andrew Sandoval, and to request a censure process.

Councilmember Jose Barajas, Councilmember Jose Salazar and Councilmember Margaret de Arrigo said Sandoval’s pattern of social‑media posts, public records requests and formal complaints to agencies has damaged relationships with regional partners and diverted staff time. Barajas and Salazar described repeated posts and filings at the county and state level and said they have yielded “no findings” in multiple Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) inquiries. Salazar said the pattern had consequences for regional collaboration and may be undermining Salinas’ ability to secure funding.

De Arrigo asked the city attorney about initiating a formal censure under council decorum rules; the city attorney confirmed a censure could be pursued if supported by council members. Several councilmembers seconded or voiced support for moving forward with a censure discussion; the mayor noted the request and said the matter would be available for response and potential future action.

Councilmember Sandoval acknowledged some missed meeting attendance related to regional bodies and apologized to TAMC staff for a prior line of questioning about attendance at TAMC committees; he also said he would continue to raise transparency concerns. Other councilmembers urged restraint on social media and requested that policy disputes be handled on the dais or through formal channels rather than in public social‑media posts.

The council did not take a formal censure vote on Oct. 28; members said a process to consider censure or related sanctions would follow council rules for decorum and would require additional formal action.