Candidate Michael Rivera accuses City Councilmember Sharon Roden of
removing his sign from storefront
PASO ROBLES — There were no action items on the agenda this week for the Tuesday, Sept. 3, Paso Robles City Council meeting. With Mayor John Hamon attending virtually, council approved the consent agenda with no issues.
Items including on this week’s consent agenda included:
- Approval of Aug. 20, 2024, City Council Meeting Minutes
- Receipt of Advisory Body Minutes
- Amendment to Conflict of Interest Code of the City of El Paso de Robles Pursuant to the Political Reform Act of 1974
- Receipt of Warrant Register
- Approval of a Resolution Authorizing the Purchase of Three New Fire and Emergency Services Vehicles
- Approval of a Resolution Awarding Construction Contract to Professional Meters, Inc. for the Automatic Metering Infrastructure (AMI) Water Meter Retrofit Project
- Approval of a Resolution Making Findings Pursuant to Government Code § 51292 for the Placement of Public Improvements in an Agricultural Preserve in Furtherance of the Recycled Water Project
- Approval of a Construction Contract to Kies and Son Construction, Inc. for the Veteran’s/ Senior Center Patio Shade Structure Project
However, the meeting kicked off in public comment when one City Councilmember was accused of removing another candidate’s sign on Labor Day.
During public comment, Michael Rivera, who is running for City Council representing District 3, accused current City Councilmember Sharon Roden of removing his sign from a local business’s storefront in Downtown Paso Robles. Roden is also running, for reelection, representing District 1.
Rivera read the following statement, adding that he reached out to Roden, but she did not return his phone call:“Yesterday, after my wife and I attended a luncheon meeting downtown, we witnessed Councilmember Sharon Roden removing my sign in front of a business on 13th Street that I had permission to have there by the business owner … more disturbing is that after removing my sign she placed her campaign sign where mine had been and zip tied it to the public fencing.”
Roden wasted no time to respond to Rivera’s comments. When he concluded, Roden explained that on Monday, she and a friend went to another friend’s business who had promised her the space Rivera mentions for her sign.
According to Roden, she asked the friend if she could still have the space, and the unnamed friend and owner of the business, told Roden she could remove the sign and take the space for herself.
“I said I can’t touch their sign, and I did not … I never touched your sign,” Roden said, addressing Rivera directly.
According to Roden, her friend, who is the owner of the business, was seen removing Rivera’s sign by Rivera, who asked the friend why the sign was being removed. Roden said the friend told Rivera that the space was promised to Roden.
Roden reaffirmed, “I never touched his sign. To say so is a complete untruth.”
Also during Rivera’s statement, he mentioned Councilman Steve Gregory having a sign appear next to Roden’s. Gregory is the District 3 incumbent, running against Rivera.
Rivera claimed that Gregory’s sign was attached to city fencing, which is against policy for candidates. However, he said, “To his credit, his sign was removed pretty quickly. My question is who put it up?”
Since Gregory was mentioned in Rivera’s statement, he followed Roden with his own comment, “I did make a mistake assuming that the fence was his and not the city’s, and I removed it within 10 minutes of the phone call … I completely have full etiquette and responsibility and respect for everyone running for office.”
Rivera claimed the incident as election interference, saying that the act of removing his sign was a “direct challenge to our election laws and a complete disrespect to a candidate.”
Another public speaker introduced herself as Katie Hoffman and said she was with Roden during the incident.
Hoffman addressed council, saying, “She [Roden] did not remove it, nor did I. And I just wanted to make that clarification for the record.”
The next Paso Robles City Council meeting is scheduled for Sept. 17 at 6:30 p.m.
