The recall effort against two of the three San Juan Bautista
Councilmen who fired well-liked City Manager Larry Cain in March is
gathering steam. It’s being spearheaded by political stalwart
Rebecca McGovern, who is out gathering signatures to qualify the
recall for the ballot. But before people can judge whether the
effort has merit, there are questions that need answers.
The recall effort against two of the three San Juan Bautista Councilmen who fired well-liked City Manager Larry Cain in March is gathering steam. It’s being spearheaded by political stalwart Rebecca McGovern, who is out gathering signatures to qualify the recall for the ballot. But before people can judge whether the effort has merit, there are questions that need answers.
Primarily, the public needs to know exactly why Mayor Arturo Medina, Vice-Mayor Charles Geiger and Councilmember George Dias fired Cain. They have said it was because communication problems with the city manager and poor performance evaluations. But they have not detailed the exact problem that lead to the firing of a man many people say is honorable, hard-working and has the best interest of the Mission City in mind. We’re not saying there wasn’t a problem, we just don’t know exactly what it may be.
By contrast, in true-to-form San Benito County politics, Cain said the firing was personal – that Geiger and Medina don’t like him. Given the history of recent local politics, that claim isn’t ridiculous either.
So, there are two plausible stories about the firing that lead to the recall effort, but a dearth of factual information.
Now that McGovern is rallying the troops to gather the 270 signatures needed to get the recall of Geiger and Medina on the ballot – Dias is not on the list, ostensibly because if three council members are ousted it will hamstring the board’s ability to operate – the residents of San Juan Bautista have a decision to make. A recall is a serious matter that deserves serious contemplation of all the facts. Now is the time for Geiger to make good on a promise he made last month.
“People who get upset are upset because they don’t know the truth,” he told the Free Lance shortly after firing Cain. “People are talking about a recall. If it gets to that point, we’ll put out the information. Then people in San Juan will know we’re doing what’s best for San Juan.”
It’s time to pull out the information. San Juan residents have an important decision ahead. They should make it with all the facts in hand
