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Lemoore City Council's Blair calls fellow members 'terrible' as newcomers Billingsley and Lyons sworn in Tuesday night
Ostensibly, the purpose of Tuesday’s year-ending council meeting was to say goodbye to Mayor Ray Madrigal and Councilmember Jeff Chedester and welcome newly-elected members Billingsley and Lyons, both elected in November.
Unfortunately, thanks to the antics of Blair, it turned into something quite different.
With a new council in place, Blair’s comments blasting councilmembers came on the heels of a plea from incoming Councilmember Chad Billingsley, who asked for a fresh start. “I want to ask Ms. Blair (that) if she wants to make a fresh start, regardless of what she put on social media today about myself and Stuart (Lyons), can we drop that, start over, and get some work done?” he asked.
Blair’s response brought an audible gasp from audience members. “The answer is I genuinely think that all of you are terrible people, and I don’t think you have the best interests of the City at heart,” she said. “You have the best interests of yourselves at heart, and no, there is no fresh start because I think you are terrible people.”
Blair’s unfortunate remark may have stemmed from the newcomers’ refusal to vote for her as mayor pro tem. Billingsley told The Leader that Blair, before Tuesday’s council meeting, had asked for their votes. “She wanted both Stuart and I to vote for her for mayor pro tem. I said no, and that did not go over well.”
Lyons confirmed that Blair called him too. “She called me and said she would like to be mayor pro tem. I’m not even sure she’s allowed to be mayor pro tem. She kind of hit me out of left field with that.”
Lyons said he hadn’t talked to anybody about the council reorganization. He said that Blair got upset because she reminded him that she had defended the fire department. “I didn’t really want to go in her direction for mayor pro tem,” said Lyons. “She started raising her voice and yelling.
“It’s my opinion she used the fire department to publicly punch Ray (Madrigal) in the face. She was defending the fire department, but she says she was doing it solely for the fire department. I’m saying that she did it for her own personal gain.”
Lyons told The Leader he was hopeful that they were going to get along. “But the moment I didn’t endorse her for mayor pro tem the whole thing went south.”
Blair's outburst may also have been prompted by Tuesday’s final agenda item, the discussion of a new censure, left over from the council’s last meeting. Council members opted to table it. Councilmember Brown originally had asked for the censure, but then he decided Tuesday night that it probably wasn’t needed. “I did this. There’s already a censure in place, so I feel that’s already adequate,” he said.
Blair was under the mistaken impression that the censure resolution, passed by her fellow council members earlier this year, was null and void with the change of the council. “Everybody knows that the censure ended the second the new council is seated,” she said. “So, the new body would have to censure me again if it wants me to be censured.”
Her reasoning puzzled some council members, and the city attorney, who wrote the original resolution censuring Blair. “I don’t believe that’s correct Councilwoman Blair,” said Jenell Van Bindsbergen, the city’s attorney.
“So, the censure’s just going to stay into perpetuity? Is that correct?” asked Blair.
Bindsbergen told council members that the censure was a resolution and that it contained mandates that will stay in place until the council changes them, rescinds them, or when Blair’s not a council member.
The August censure of Blair, before about 200 Lemoore citizens, was the first ever for a Lemoore council member. Lemoore's elected members voted 4-1 to censure the first-term council member for engaging in conduct unbecoming a council member (see censure story), potential liability exposure and the loss of trust and confidence by other council members.
Furthermore, council members cited a laundry list of complaints, including using “unprofessional, inflammatory, belittling and discourteous language in communications” with the public and using profane language and then “engaging in public personal vendettas against the mayor, the city manager and the police chief, by attempting to defame the individuals with unsupported allegations or falsehoods.”
The censure admonished Blair to cease engaging in such conduct so that the Council may “regain trust and confidence in her going forward.” The censure also banned her from all boards and commissions that represent the City of Lemoore.
“That’s your guys’ call,” said Blair. “I generally hoped we could start off on a good foot.”
In a prepared statement, Blair criticized the council for placing a new censure item on the agenda. “I stepped on the toes of people in power in this town,” she said. She included in her criticism unfounded allegations referring to outgoing Mayor Ray Madrigal, once again accusing him of misogyny.
She told council members that the censure had an adverse effect on the city, citing a lack of representation on various boards and commissions on which council members sit.
“And for the most part, people sometimes have trouble finding Lemoore on the map. It’s not really stopping me from leaving outside the city. It’s just making the city look stupid, really. It makes us look foolish,” said Blair.
Councilmember Brown, who voted for the original censure, disagreed, insisting Blair’s inappropriate remarks and questionable language has been a detriment to the city. “It makes the city look stupid with the things that you stated and what was on Facebook.” However, Brown still insisted the current censure resolution was adequate.
Even audience members got into the act. Tom Reed, a consistent voice at Lemoore meetings, castigated Blair for her lack of civility and her attempt to embarrass a new member. “I find that demeaning,” he said, referring to Blair’s attempt to question new council members as to their knowledge of an agenda item.
