WATSONVILLE — On a 5-1 vote, the City Council formally reprimanded Councilman Emilio Martinez on Tuesday.
Martinez, who allegedly harassed and bullied a member of the public in a Feb. 28 telephone conversation, was not at the meeting, absent, according to an email sent to the city manager, for “personal reasons.”
The action was the first time a penalty has been handed out since the council voted to impose sanctions for violations of its ethics code two years ago.
Martinez was accused of violating the respect standard of the code.
The reprimand was passed as a resolution and is part of official city record. The reprimand can be viewed at http://www.ci.watsonville.ca.us/agendas/city_council_redevelopment/051011/CC_7.1f_051011.pdf.
“We do need to send some kind of message to the council and to the general public,” said newly appointed Councilman Lowell Hurst, joining the majority. “We’ve got to adhere to a code of ethics and values.”
Monday, Martinez called the consideration of his actions a “kangaroo court,” and said the aim was to stop him from speaking out about waste and corruption in city government.
He has denied allegations that he acted inappropriately in his conversation with Elias Alonzo, and has threatened legal action.
Alonzo and wife Heidi, who overheard the conversation on speaker phone, said Martinez tried to use his status as a councilman and private investigator to intimidate Elias Alonzo into providing details of a meeting he had with City Manager Carlos Palacios.
Watsonville resident Julian Garcia urged the council to dismiss the action, saying there wasn’t enough evidence, that it was simply a dispute between two men.
“By and large I think you do a wonderful job,” Garcia told the council. “But I am embarrassed for the citizens of Watsonville that you have brought this action and caused this city to be the laughing stock of Santa Cruz County.”
Councilman Manuel Bersamin, who had asked for the probe into Martinez’s behavior, has found himself under scrutiny as well for comments he has made at public meetings.
“I acknowledge breaking the standard,” Bersamin said, adding he was willing to submit to an investigation into his actions.
“Councilman Oscar Rios said the issue was about respect, and that Martinez failed to show the council respect when he refused to discuss the issue with his colleagues.
“Even today he has not given us the respect,” Rios said. “Instead he says I’m going to hire an attorney, and here we go again.”
Martinez previously filed a lawsuit against the city to prevent former councilman and then-Mayor Luis Alejo from voting for his successor before stepping down from the council.
Councilwoman Nancy Bilicich was the sole dissenting voice.
“In the last year, I’ve heard comments (by council members) that in my opinion were not appropriate,” Bilicich said. “We need to clean up our act, all of us. But I don’t think we need to move forward with this process.”
