Reporter Says Clayton Claim is Accurate

Mayor: Charge 'Frivolous'

By Eric Maddy
The SCORE

A former reporter for Rio Rancho’s bi-weekly community newspaper is standing behind his reports that four city council members discussed city business outside of stated meeting times, which could would be a violation of state law.

Tom Trewick, who until recently covered City Hall for the Rio Rancho Observer, backed up at least one claim made by former city councilor Lonnie Clayton, who filed a formal complaint with the attorney general’s office on Oct. 1.

Contacted at his new job in Bentonville, Ark., Trewick recounted what he saw on Sept. 12 before the grand opening of the new City Hall.

“On the date in question. I witnessed four councilors talking in the hallway between the entryway and the council chambers,” Trewick said. “The four were Howard Balmer, Fay Davis, Delma Petrullo and Patty Thomas.
 
”When I first approached the group, Delma gave me a dismissive wave with her hand, which I interpreted to mean they wanted privacy. I said aloud, ‘There are four councilors, at which point Delma turned her back on me and they continued talking.
 
“At first, it was innocent enough, as Balmer was detailing to Davis the location of water and wastewater lines in the City Center, but Balmer soon went on to tell Davis of the necessity of the loans and bonds
paying for that infrastructure. One such loan was on that night's agenda.

“Later that night, Delma told me that they were not discussing what I heard them discussing. Patty said she was not aware that there were four of them or she would have left. Fay said she was told what they were doing was allowed. Howard refused to comment.”

Clayton’s accusations are all tied to a long-standing feud between two sides of the political spectrum in Rio Rancho. On one side is Mayor Mike Williams and his associates. On the other is former  Mayor Jim Owen and those who agree with him.

Own previously f8ilee a comlaint with the AG over the way Williams, then a councilor, and others met wiith forme mayor Kevin Jackson, meetings that led to theifiring former city manager Jim Palenick. Williams said he hopes to be able to address that charge at the next city council meeting on Wednesday, but he's not sure the AG’s office will have completed its report in time for him to do so.

“The problem is I’m not sure the AG is done with the Palenick-Owens thing so that we can put it on the agenda,” Williams said.

As for Clayton’s complaint, Williams said, “That’s just Lonnie. There is no documentation, no proof.”

In a letter written to directly to attorney general Gary King, and not subordinates in the AG’s office who are handling the first investigation, Williams said he was tired of the “frivolous complaints” and that the AG’s office was “being used as a pawn for erroneous accusations that arise from the political nature of wanna-be election officials.”

Clayton was appointed by Owen to fill a vacancy on the Council when Dave Bency was elected to the county commission in 2002. He sought election to the seat in 2004 but finished last in a three person race behind Marilyn Salzman, who defeated Todd Hathorne by one vote.

“There is documentation. There  is proof. It’s public, and it’s open,” Clayton said, citing previously published reports on the Palenick firing and Treewick’s story about the councilors gathering on Sept. 12. Clayton also noted that the councilors unanimously voted in Williams as mayor after Jackson resigned, and appointed Williams’ successor, Fay Davis, without any public discussion or allowing the public to comment.

Clayton said he would be in contact with the AG’s office on Monday and offered, if necessary, to gather video of the council meetings where the votes were taken to back up his charge.

“Basically I’m going to ask the AG what action they’ve taken and what response they’ve received from the city council and mayor,” Clayton said. “If the attorney general  needs more evidence, I will go to City Hall and get it.”