MontebelloWatch
Vasquez Signs Athens
Contract
Leaves City Vulnerable to Lawsuit
September 24, 2008
MONTEBELLO – Residents are furious over
Vice-Mayor Rosie Vasquez’s move to sign the Athens
contract, ignoring a Referendum suspending council
actions.
Mayor Molinari raised serious questions
regarding contractual violations,
inaccuracies, and overcharges
regarding the Athens agreement,
holding off signing until the issues
were resolved and the Referendum
goes to a vote.
According to public
documents, Athens contributed
$7,600 to Vasquez, leading some to
ask why she placed Athens
concerns over her constituents as
well as what her real motivations
are.
Vasquez’s actions potentially leave
Montebello in legal jeopardy. Athens attorney has
already threatened a lawsuit in a harshly worded letter
to City Clerk Bob King, telling him he must “reject
the Petition and refrain from submitting it to the City
Council…”
The Referendum petition, signed by 6,323
residents, forces the Council to either overturn their
decision or put the issue on the ballot. State Election
Code section 9237 says that 10% of registered voters
signing a Referendum petition immediately suspends
the Council’s actions. Nearly 3 times more signatures
than needed to qualify a Referendum were submitted
JOIN: http://groups.google.com/group/stopathensinmontebello
Montebello Residents For Honest Government, Sponsored By Waste Disposal And Recycling Industry
MontebelloWatch@gmail.com  P.O. Box 2601, Montebello, CA 90640
on August 20th, twenty-five days before Vasquez
signed the contract.
Sources inside City Hall claim that Vasquez
secretly removed the Athens contract from city hall
earlier this month, signed it on Sunday, September
14th and dropped it off at the Clerk’s
office the following Monday.
Refusing to speak directly to
the media, Vasquez faxed a statement
prepared by Athens.
As a result of the backroom
deal giving Athens Disposal a 15 year,
non-competitive, exclusive contract
and the more than $21,000 in
contributions taken collectively by
Vasquez, Urteaga and Salazar, a
complaint was filed with the District
Attorney’s office.
A showdown is expected at the October 8th
City Council meeting when the Referendum and
Athens issue come back to the council.
At that time, City Clerk Bob King is expected
to certify the Referendum and the council can
overturn their previous decision.
Voice Your Concerns at the Next
City Council Meeting
October 8, 2008
6:30 p.m.
Montebello City Hall
(323) 887-1363