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Students and residents urge action as council faces ethics questions; council member requests staff report on censure options
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Summary
High school students and community members publicly pressed the council on March 17 to act after felony charges were reported against a sitting council member. Council member Ball formally requested staff report options for censure, removal from committees or other interim measures while criminal proceedings proceed.
Several Lompoc residents, including multiple students from the high school debate team, used public comment at the March 17 council meeting to call attention to legal allegations involving a sitting council member and to urge the council to act.
"A sitting council member... is facing multiple felonies," said Gary Jeffrey (speaker 23), vice president of the Lompoc Valley Black Student Union, who told the council the youth expect leadership that upholds "honesty, accountability, transparency, and respect." Luis Padilla (speaker 22) and Giovann Manzanarz (speaker 24) made similar statements asking the member to step down while legal proceedings continue.
Other speakers warned against rushing to judgment and urged due process. Karen Hauenstein (speaker 15) accused the district attorney’s office of political bias and urged caution; Nick Gonzales (speaker 4) urged the community to reserve judgment until investigations are complete. Jacob Valente (speaker 25) criticized the council member’s conduct based on statements he cited from an investigator’s interview but said he would not call for immediate resignation tonight.
In response to public concerns, Council member Ball (speaker 3) said the council needs governance tools to protect public trust while criminal proceedings continue. Ball requested that staff prepare a report on options available to the council, including formal censure, removal from committee assignments and other lawful interim measures. "This is not about deciding guilt or innocence," Ball said; "it's about understanding what governance tools are available to this council for formal censure and interim measures."
No formal disciplinary action was adopted at the March 17 meeting. Ball said he would seek support to have staff return with a report on possible measures. The council did not take a vote to remove the member from committees or to censure during the session; residents were told staff would bring information back to a future meeting.
