The San Fernando City Council meeting on Monday, May 6, had a new look with an absent Mayor Celeste Rodriguez, new Councilmember Victoria Garcia taking her seat and Councilmember Mary Solorio returning to the chambers with a newborn in her arms.
But the appointing or reaffirming of city commissioner appointments – typically a routine agenda matter – revealed a division on the dais, with one appointment blocked and another getting a vote of abstention from Councilmember Joel Fajardo.
On the Same Page
With unanimous approval, Vice Mayor Mary Mendoza appointed Julie Cuellar to Garcia’s previous position as a Transportation and Public Safety commissioner.
“I just look forward to working back on the commission, and doing what I could possibly do to help improve our city and make it safe for everyone,” said Cuellar.
Cuellar is a longtime San Fernando resident, who has served as a Planning commissioner and chairperson from 2009 to 2012, and subsequently as a Transportation and Public Safety commissioner from 2012 to 2015. She also had a six-year role as a San Fernando Neighborhood Watch team captain.
“I suppose the vice mayor and I were thinking similarly, as far as the value she would bring to the City of San Fernando,” said Garcia, who also appointed Cuellar to the Parks, Wellness and Recreation Commission.
Garcia also appointed Miguel Montañez, brother of the late City Councilmember Cindy Montañez, to the Planning and Preservation Commission with unanimous approval from the council.
“I don’t think I know anybody who loves our city more,” said Garcia about Montañez.
A ‘Trained Feminist Historian’
Sonia Mariscal Navarro, Garcia’s pick for Education Commissioner, holds a doctorate degree in history from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and described herself as, “a trained feminist historian.”
As other council members were unfamiliar with Navarro, Fajardo pressed her about her studies and her viewpoints on gender issues.
“LGBTQ issues have become a more prominent discussion point, especially recently in the City of San Fernando and elsewhere,” said Fajardo. “What is your take on how the movement is right now in terms of how our youth see it, and how it differs from how past generations saw it?”
Navarro responded, “The older generations are much calmer, and they’re much more wise about these ‘new changes.’” She added that people should take their time and “not run to these changes” but rather “be much more cautious about it.”
Specifically, Navarro brought up what she described as the “trans issue that’s happening right now.” As an example, she cautioned against rushing into policies such as incarcerating trans women in women’s prisons, because, she believes, they are raping other inmates.
Fajardo, the council’s lone openly gay member, brought up that one of the city’s scholarship programs, Unheard Voices, supports students who are involved in a cause revolving around LGBTQ+ issues.
“Would you have trouble supporting and awarding a scholarship to a student who does promote policies that you feel are moving too quickly, in one way or another?” questioned Fajardo.
“It depends,” responded Navarro.
The motion to appoint Navarro was seconded by Mendoza and passed with three yes votes.
Fajardo abstained.
An Appointment is Blocked
Garcia’s final request for appointment was for Yolanda Haro to serve on the Planning and Preservation Commission.
Haro, a longtime San Fernando resident, previously served on the Parks, Wellness and Recreation Commission.
“I do recognize that you’ve had a lot of advocacy in the city. And I appreciate that,” said Fajardo before raising a concern about a statement Haro made during public comment at a contentious City Council meeting last November.
“When it was your turn to speak, you questioned the councilmembers’ children, [and] why they didn’t go to a certain event,” continued Fajardo. “It didn’t sit well with me.”
At the aforementioned meeting, Haro questioned why the councilmembers didn’t bring their children to a drag story hour event if they thought it was appropriate for children – words Fajardo interpreted as targeted at him and Rodriguez.
“If something is very personal to you – and obviously, for that particular event, it was personal to you – I would think that you would take your kid,” said a taken-aback Haro.
After giving Haro time to respond, Fajardo remained firm in his conviction.
“I just feel like we have to have a baseline on protocol, and calling out people’s children, I feel like, crosses that line,” said Fajardo. “I’m definitely a ‘no’ because of that. I feel that it doesn’t conform with the decorum that we need from our commissioners, and I hope that no one’s children ever have to get called out again at these meetings.”
Visibly frustrated by the situation, Garcia commented that Fajardo’s statements “almost feels like retaliation or personal grudges.”
“Everyone has the right to free speech. I don’t think that anything was a threat to anyone or any child. I think that’s a misrepresentation,” she said.
With no second, the motion to appoint died and Haro was not made a commissioner.
The last time a commissioner appointment was blocked was in 2016.
Increasing the City’s ‘Tree Canopy’
In other business, the council approved a portion of its urban forest management plan with a goal of establishing 2,000 new trees in the city by the end of the 2026 fiscal year, which city officials said would be a “33% increase” of the city’s tree canopy.
A representative from TreePeople, which consulted and collaborated with city officials on the Urban Fourth Street Management plan, described the project as “a long-term vision for the trees in the city” and that San Fernando has 6,019 public trees representing almost 200 species.
According to a certified arborist who examined and assessed more than 90% of the city’s urban forest, the representative said, “29% of the trees are in ‘good condition,’ 69% are in ‘fair’ condition … and less than 2% were dead or in ‘poor’ condition.”
The entire tree canopy covers or shades 19% of the City of San Fernando, the representative said, adding that community members who filled out surveys indicated a leading preference for adding trees at school properties, streets and sidewalks, public parks and public transportation waiting areas.
TreePeople has already secured grant funds to plant 1,050 trees and distribute 400 more over the next five years.
The plan – which includes a recommended annual budget of $1,004,128 and is funded from the city’s general fund and secured grants – will be reviewed and revised every 10 years.
Mike Terry contributed to this article.