Azusa : Mayor Ousted From Boards

A city-paid meal for Mayor Eugene F. Moses became the catalyst for the mayor’s removal from two paid city appointments at Monday’s City Council meeting. Councilman Harry L. Stemrich--incensed that Moses left a League of California Cities dinner last week before hearing the guest speaker--instigated the mayor’s ousters.

By two separate votes of 4 to 1, with the mayor in opposition, Moses was removed from the East San Gabriel Valley Consortium, an employment training agency, and the county Sanitation Districts’ board of directors. Each month, Moses received $250 from the consortium and $100 from the Sanitation Districts for attending their meetings.

Moses’ removal from the Sanitation Districts board was conditional upon the advice of City Atty. Peter M. Thorson. Thorson said Tuesday that the council’s action will have to be rescinded at its September meeting because by statute the city’s voting member on the board must be the mayor.

Moses is also the city’s voting delegate to the League of California Cities. At last week’s league meeting in Monterey Park, Moses left after the dinner and the vote, citing his fatigue from a bronchial infection.

Assemblyman Charles M. Calderon (D-Montebello) was to speak later about means for cities to ban pornographic news racks, an issue Moses has championed in the past. Stemrich said the early departure was a lack of commitment from Moses.

“If the city’s paying for his dinner, then he should sit there and listen to the speaker,” he said.

The mayor charged that he was removed because he has not supported Stemrich’s positions.