Commissioners Marlon Bolton and Elvin Villalobos.
By Agrippina Fadel
A battle of censures is on the next city commission agenda after Commissioners Elvin Villalobos and Marlon Bolton requested the items after a recent argument.
Villalobos and Bolton have exchanged unpleasantries many times before, but their argument after the commission meeting on January 26 made all prior disagreements look almost civil.
The tension was brewing through the meeting last Wednesday, with Bolton referring to Villalobos as “the gentleman from District 3” and refusing to call him by his name.
After the meeting was over, the commissioners exchanged insults, Villalobos calling Bolton “baldy” and the latter speculating about Villalobos’ sex life and calling his wife fat. City Attorney John Herin and BSO officers stood by, ready to act if the verbal altercation turned physical.
Villalobos added two items on February 9 meeting, one specifically requesting Bolton’s censure and the other inviting a discussion of a more aggressive approach to punishing commissioners who behave disrespectfully.
Bolton’s agenda item asks the commission to take action and censure Villalobos for “making obscene and racial remarks.”
No racial comments were ever said, according to Villalobos.
Censure in politics is a formal public reprimand and condemnation of a politician who displays unacceptable behavior.
During previous discussions of using censure to rein in the disagreements and disrespect on the Tamarac dais, Mayor Michelle Gomez reminded commissioners that the residents are watching the meetings, so public reprimand is a serious matter.
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