Councilman who attended Super Bowl is resisting return to in-person meetings

Ballot measure for Alameda County agricultural areas expected this fall

San Leandro Councilmember Victor Aguilar, Jr. attending Super Bowl LVI in Inglewood, Calif. last month. PHOTO/Facebook.

CITY & COUNTY NEWS

SAN LEANDRO

—’DRO DRAMA—San Leandro's mayor wants the city council to return to the dais as early as next month. San Leandro Mayor Pauline Russo Cutter pulled the now ubiquitous resolution allowing remote meeting from Monday's agenda, and said she will not support its reauthorization next month.

—“This is the last time I'm going to support meeting remotely,” Cutter said. “I think we need to lead by example. We're asking our employees to come back. We're asking our commissions to back. I think it's time our council comes back.” Several city commissions have requested a return to in-person meetings, Cutter said. The San Leandro school board has met in person for several months. But Cutter's desire for a return to the council dais was met with opposition from two councilmembers.

—Councilmember Victor Aguilar Jr. resisted a move back to the council chambers, claiming he is “immunocompromised.” He added, “Anybody who can come into the council chamber could put me at risk.” The comment, though, raised hackles, among, at least two councilmembers.

—Councilmembers Deborah Cox and Pete Ballew indirectly referenced Aguilar's social media posts, in particular, photos of him attending the Super Bowl in Inglewood, Calif. last month. “If you're able to be doing a lot of things outside of your council meetings,” Cox said, “it doesn't look good.” Ballew said the public personal activities were “incongruent” with any stance against a return to in-person meetings.

-Councilmember Fred Simon, though, underscored, Aguilar's concerns. He said councilmembers should not be "forced" to attend in-person meetings. “I know Covid is still out there. I know people that are getting sick,” Simon said.

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