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San Gabriel council agrees to return policy on staff participation after complaints about councilmember event
Summary
After a public complaint that a councilmember’s flyer used the city logo and invited city staff to a political event, the San Gabriel City Council agreed to bring a policy item back for discussion and review whether staff participation should continue pending formal guidelines.
San Gabriel’s City Council signaled a majority on Sept. 16 to return a policy item governing councilmembers’ use of city staff and the city logo after residents raised ethical concerns about an upcoming councilmember-hosted event.
The conversation began during public comment when Sue Fitzsimmons told the council she believed an Oct. 2 event at El Calderon was political, that the city logo was used on the flyer and that city employees had been invited to attend and speak. “Through my taxes, I pay for the city employee salary, and I do not approve of you using my taxes for your political event,” Fitzsimmons said.
The mayor and several council members then discussed whether staff attendance at an individual councilmember’s event was appropriate without formal guidelines. Mayor Denise Menchaca said she was not asking to cancel the event but requested support to bring back a formal policy and asked that city staff not participate in similar councilmember events until the council had adopted guidance. “All I’m saying is you can have your own event without taking city staff,” Menchaca said.
City Attorney clarified that asking for an item to appear on a future agenda is appropriate. City Manager Mark Lazaretto told the council that the city manager had authority to approve staff involvement and that he had heard the comments. “This is being done under the city manager’s authority, and the city manager … can decide accordingly,” Lazaretto said.
Council members debated whether staff participation was lawful or ethical and whether the city should adopt rules. Vice Mayor Chan and others said they would support placing a policy on a future agenda. The council did not adopt any immediate restriction on staff attendance at the meeting; instead members agreed to have staff and the city attorney draft and return a policy item for a subsequent meeting.
The council’s action was limited to directing staff to prepare the item for a future agenda; no votes or prohibitions on the event itself were taken at the Sept. 16 meeting.
