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Lemoore City Council, constituents call for Holly Blair to resign as she faces recall drive
The council voted 4-1 to continue the censure process. Council members will send statements to the city attorney outlining their reasons as to why they think Blair should be censured. The city attorney, Jenell Van Bindsbergen, will develop a resolution formally censuring Blair at the next council meeting, scheduled for August 21.
Approximately 200 persons attended Tuesday night’s regular city council meeting in the Lemoore Civic Auditorium. The censure wasn’t brought up until the end of the session when several persons spoke out against Blair, several demanding her resignation.
Currently, Blair is the subject of a recall effort that appears to be well underway. However, the deadline for placing a recall on the November ballot was August 6, and it seems that such an effort – if the required signatures are gathered – will have to wait for a special election sometime after November.
The censure was discussed at the July 17 council meeting when Blair accused Lemoore Chief of Police Darrell Smith and Lemoore City Manager Nathan Olson of lying to her. She also singled out Olson’s son and Smith’s daughter and insisted that Smith lied to her. She demanded an investigation.
It was at an April council meeting that council members threatened Blair with censure, describing her demeanor as conduct “unbecoming a council member.”
To the best of anyone’s knowledge, this is the first time a sitting Lemoore council member has faced censure. Censure is rare in California, but it has occurred.
While a formal censure will not result in the dismissal of Blair, it is formal disapproval of her council behavior and an official reprimand. The only path to Blair’s removal is a recall, which appears to be well underway. Residents have already canvassed parts of Lemoore seeking the requisite signatures needed to mount a recall.
A chorus of residents and council members demanded that Blair resign. Blair seemed to take the criticism in stride, often rolling her eyes or munching on snacks as residents criticized her behavior.
The comments started early, during a public comments period, long before Blair’s censure was brought up. Speakers asked her to resign insisting she was an embarrassment to the city. Madrigal asked that the audience hold their comments until the item came up later in the meeting.
When the censure discussion finally came up, Van Bindsbergen, the city’s attorney, discussed several options for proceeding, advising members that there were no specific procedures for censure and that council would have to decide on a particular process. She also said that any written process would have to be designed to allow the subject of the council action the right to respond. However, Bindsbergen added that the council does have the right under current law to create a process.
During the public hearing, several residents pleaded with Blair to resign, including Bryan Smith, one of the first speakers. “I am asking for the resignation of Holly Blair."
Lemoore Police Officer Mark Pescatore told council members that he found it appalling that (Blair) would question those who serve the city. “The behavior I’ve seen (Blair) shocks the social conscience. It makes people think our city is a joke.”
Blair’s detractors were numerous. She failed to receive one positive comment.
Caroline Daley told Blair that she was embarrassed by her behavior, and she too asked the council member to resign.
One of her district constituents, Robert Escalera, was equally upset. “I tried to reach out to my council member through Facebook,” he said. “She responded that I was insufferable.”
Connie Wlaschin, a frequent critic, also asked for Blair’s resignation. “You guys (council) have a hard decision to make. We need to figure out how you’re going to do that.”
Wlaschin said she’s known Blair since 2014 and initially was very supportive, suggesting that Blair was a bright young woman. However, since then, Wlaschin said she’s been on the receiving end of some of Blair’s Facebook taunts. “When she puts out that she’s a councilmember, she’s representing me. I’m here to say that I’m terribly embarrassed and upset that I ever supported her. I’m going to ask you to resign. If you’re so concerned about the city of Lemoore, and where we’re going, you need to resign.”
Lemoore Police Commander Maggie Ochoa, speaking in favor of censure, told Blair that she was once a young person fearful of the police, but at some point in her life, she decided she wanted to become a part of the solution. “Perception is not always reality,” she said. “In our (police) department, building relationships is our priority. We will still take a bullet to protect you. Our community deserves better.”
Patricia Mathews told Blair that she resides in her district. “I am one of your constituents. I just want to say that you do not represent me,” she said. “I ask personally for your resignation.”
Police Officer Jason Stephens said he felt a higher calling to become a police officer. “I wanted to show my support for my chief. I wanted to help people. There is no one I’d rather go to battle with than chief Smith,” he said.
When asked by Mayor Madrigal if any member of the police department disagreed with what he said, Smith said they did not.
Then it was the council’s turn, and some members repeated the call for Blair to resign rather than force the city to pay for a recall election, including first-termer Jeff Chedester who in emotional remarks demanded that Blair leave. “I will just speak from my heart. We all know when false accusations (were) made against the most respected members of our community,” he said. “Your moral and ethical behavior does not represent the city. Our city is proud, and our city is great. You’re a liability to our city. We need this to stop. This is ridiculous. I don’t know why you want to stay on this council. Get off the council.”
Councilmember Dave Brown reminded the council that he initially brought up the concept of censure at the April 10 meeting, citing Blair’s implied threats regarding traffic stops, her emails, social media comments, and her behavior. He said her claims of a “conspiracy” between City Manager Nathan Olson and Chief Smith held no merit.
“This is hurting our city,” he said. “We have better things to do. I just want it to stop.”
Mayor Madrigal continued the onslaught. “It’s not always this clear how the public feels, but today it’s enormously clear that the public doesn’t feel as though Ms. Blair represents them,” he said. “They certainly don’t agree with her behavior, her comments towards the police department and on social media.”
“It’s sad that it was predictable,” the mayor continued. “I don’t believe that her conduct here on the council, and in public, (and) on television, is becoming of a council member. We have rules of conduct, a code of conduct, rules or procedures. That code was in long before she was on the council, not just before she got on the council. We did put in Lemoore City Council rules of procedure,” he said, adding that Blair is the only council member not to have signed it. “It doesn’t mean that you’re still not bound by it,” he said.
“I don’t trust Ms. Blair as to what she says any longer. She twists what people tell her.” Madrigal cited some instances that he insists warrant her resignation, including her Facebook comments, inappropriate comments about city officials, numerous falsehoods, and what he says are her baseless accusations claiming that city officials lied to her.
Madrigal emphasized that because of her actions as a council member, he feels that she is ineffective. “Ms. Blair, you say you care about this city. I would really ask today that you resign immediately, effective today.”
The mayor said that while people often disagree on many issues, the public is united in believing that Blair needs to go.
Madrigal concluded by insisting that residents and potential developers want to know that Lemoore is a stable city. “They want to know that we have a stable council, a council that is rational, that is fair, that considers things in a manner where they’re open to all sides of the question, and then ultimately makes a decision. All we can do is censure Ms. Blair. The rest is going to be up to you. I just hope we don’t have to do that.”
Blair responded that she had spent two years trying to build good relationships. “I tried to build a good relationship, and every step of the way I was lied to. I was intimidated, and it got worse when I wouldn’t vote the way that I was expected to vote. That’s what this is all about, and I don’t care if you censure me, I really don’t, because I’m not going to shut up about it, period.”
Blair told the council that Chief Smith hired an attorney who sent her a “cease and desist" letter.” She said it violated her First Amendment rights and asked her fellow members why the city didn't place the chief on administrative leave. At that point, the city attorney advised council members not to talk about personnel issues.
