Socorro City Council meeting cancelled

Socorro City Council was expected to hold it’s highly anticipated meeting Thursday evening.

It would be the first council meeting to be held after Jesse GandaraJr. bonded out of jail Monday night.

After getting out of jail,Gandara stated he would talk to the media at Thursday’scouncil meeting, but he didn’t show up.

Constituents waited over an hour to hear what Gandara would have to say, but he and two other council members failed to attend.

Even though the constituents were frequently told the meeting would continue.

“As long as we give people notice that the meeting is still planned and still going to be conducted and keep people here who want to be at the meeting we don’t break any official rule,” said Socorro spokesperson Dave Garcia. That’s exactly what was done.

Garcia wouldwalk around about every 15 minutes letting everyone know that representatives Maria Reyes, Mary Garcia and Jesse Gandara would be coming in late, until the council just called it off about an hour later.

Residents that did attend the meeting were concerned about hearing Gandara give a statement about the indictment.

Gandara bonded out of jail Monday night after turning himself in when he found out he was indicted on felony theft charges last week.

Once he got out, he told the media he was going to give a statement atThursday’s council meeting.

Socorro resident and candidate for mayor Jesus Ruiz tells ABC-7Gandara not showing up to the meeting isdissapointing.

“He said he would be here right now and he’s not here. It just shows his lack of character and I believe that this is an act of cowardess on his part. He said he would be here, he needs to give an explanation to the City of Socorro and the people he represents and he decided not to show up,” said Ruiz.

Jesse Gandarasent the media a written statement.

“It is not by chanceI was arrested just before my election.I truly beleive it is an effort by the old gaurd political powers to defeat me….” said Gandara.

Gandaragoes on to ask the community to stand by him and he asks for support and the vote in the upcoming elections.

The meeting which would of focused on the city of Socorro’s budget will have to be called up again in a special meeting.A date has not been announced.