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Rio Rancho Mayor Kevin Jackson's debt to the city is paid, but his troubles aren't over

By Caleb Fort
Wednesday, July 11, 2007

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Rio Rancho Mayor Kevin Jackson's debt to the city has been paid, but his troubles aren't over.

The City Council votes tonight on whether to subpoena Jackson. Two unions and at least two City Council members have called for his resignation.

This morning, one man filed the first paperwork necessary for a recall election, while an environmental group plans to file the same paperwork tomorrow.

But Jackson has his supporters, and one of them has money.

Charles Goad donated $5,300 on July 6 to pay off what Rio Rancho officials say the mayor improperly charged on a city credit card. Goad could not be reached for comment this morning.

The city cashed the check on July 10, officials said. Councilor Delma Petrullo said the council will still subpoena Jackson, and she still wants him to step down.

"He didn't change the mayor's behavior, and he didn't change the mayor's absenteeism," Petrullo said of Goad's donation. "All he did was give the mayor some money."

Duke Stripling, who filed recall paperwork this morning, could not be reached for comment.

Jim Blazskowski, a member of Advocates for Wildlife and the Environment, said he will file an intent to circulate a petition on July 12.

Whoever tries to start a recall election will have to gather signatures from about 2,000 registered voters in Rio Rancho - 5 percent of the total registered.

The 10-member environmental group was formed in response to bird and duck deaths reported at Chamisa Hills last year and again earlier this month, but Blazskowski said the recall is about more than waterfowl.

The state Department of Game and Fish found the ducks had been killed by naturally occurring botulism in the golf course ponds.

Blazskowski said Jackson did not do enough to improve conditions at the club.

"We were upset with how he handled the duck situation," Blazskowski said. "But this is about all the allegations of wrongdoing. The city has lost trust in him."

Petrullo and Councilor Larry Naranjo said they have spoken to several people interested in starting a recall election.

The presidents of two Rio Rancho unions sent a letter to Jackson on on July 6 asking him to resign.

Cindy Benz, president of the Rio Rancho chapter of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, and James Harris, president of the Rio Rancho Public Safety Department union, signed the letter.

Jackson said in a July 3 letter that he will not resign.

He also promised he would tell his side of the story "in the not-too-distant future."

Jackson and his attorney, John D'Amato, did not return calls on July 10.

Petrullo, Naranjo and Councilor Michael Williams said they will vote in favor of the subpoena tonight, and suspect the other three councilors will do the same.

"I never speak for other councilors, but given the atmosphere, I think it will be 6-0," Petrullo said.

The subpoena would require Jackson to appear at a public meeting July 20 to take questions from councilors, city employees and the public.

An investigation, completed June 28, concluded Jackson owed the city $5,307 for purchases ranging from an $11.68 lunch at Wendy's in July 2006 to $1,600 worth of tickets to a Willie Nelson concert in February.

The city revoked Jackson's city-issued credit card May 17 when questions first arose about his spending. The council censured him, passed a vote of no-confidence and suspended his travel budget June 13.

Jackson has been mostly absent from City Hall since the controversy erupted and has declined to comment directly on the matter.

Peter Wells, a spokesman for the city, said Jackson has been in his office sporadically during the past several weeks but never for more than an hour.

Jackson's lawyers have said the purchases were not improper. In a May 24 letter to the City Council, Jackson maintained he did not authorize many of the questioned charges.

Jackson also faces questions about spending as head of New Mexico Family Council-Best Choice, a nonprofit group he founded. Federal investigators are looking into allegations that federal grant money was misused. Jackson was fired as head of the group May 15.