SAN ANGELO, Texas (Concho Valley Homepage) — A San Angelo resident has served the city council a citation during public comment of the Nov. 21 city council meeting.
John Bariou has served the City on behalf of many voters for the “intentional, repeated and habitual subversion of the city charter.” Bariou said that San Angelo is chartered under Texas law as a Council-manager form of government but claims it is being run as ‘Mayor run.’
A council-manager form of government is one of the most common forms of government in the U.S. among municipalities with populations of 2,500 or more. Under this form, residents elect a governing body, which includes a chief elected official (mayor or board chairperson) to adopt legislation and set policy. The governing body then hires a manager with broad executive authority to carry out those policies and oversee the local government’s day-to-day operations.
“Individually and collectively, the council, including the non-voting City Manager aided and abetted by the City Attorney has illegally deviated from the Charter without voter consent allowing one individual access to the Manager and directing specific actions without the deliberation by and specific authorization of the full council,” said Bariou, “All members of this council are complicit of not openly challenging these actions as required by ordinance.”
Bariou told the council they had until January 1, 2024, to be publicly evident of abiding by the charter, “else there will be consequences” as well as hold all discussions openly with the public.
“By charter, the voters are judge and jury and shall prosecute these violations by petition and ballot,” said Bariou.
On or after January 1, 2024, Bariou said voters could petition for recall elections firing “any and all council members including the mayor – recall elections shall then determine the fate of this council and the future of our San Angelo”
“I’m really confused,” said City Manager Daniel Valenzuela. “As far as firing our City Council Members…what you’re implying and what I am looking at is you’re trying to say this council has been a complete and utter failure in representing its citizens, that’s not true.”
Valenzuela said that the San Angelo City Council is one of the best he has worked with, with a proven track record that he felt Bariou chose to ignore.
“Is this City Council perfect? No, it’s not. I don’t know of a single city in the state of Texas that doesn’t have issues they are working on,” said Valenzuela, “but the answer is never, ‘let’s get rid of all the City Council members’, we need to look at that attitude, it’s extremely short-sided.”
