Glendale councilman reprimanded by colleagues
The City Council on Tuesday night recommended Councilman Dave Weaver attend sexual harassment training in the wake of allegations that he groped a woman at a Mexican restaurant as well as an acknowledgment that he used vulgar language in front of a city employee.
Weaver is currently in out-of-court settlement negotiations with Lolita Gonzalves, who has said she wants a written apology and $10,000 regarding the 2013 incident. Weaver has denied the accusations — stating that he did not intentionally touch her breast, but rather pushed her inadvertently after an argument.
During the meeting, two council members read from a written statement on behalf of their colleagues, not including Weaver, that described his behavior as unacceptable, inappropriate and careless.
“It is important to us, as council members, and you, as the community we serve, that we hold one another accountable for our actions and for deviations from the values we espouse,” said Councilman Frank Quintero, reading from the statement.
Weaver did not respond during the meeting and declined to comment afterward.
While the council considered the alleged groping a private matter, Weaver “freely admitted that he used inappropriate sexual language in an interaction with City Hall staff,” Quintero said, adding that the council considered the exchange in violation of Glendale’s sexual harassment policy.
Weaver said in an interview printed in the April article that he had been scolded by top city officials several years ago for saying a vulgar word to a city employee. Weaver had used the word “pussy” when he was showing a sonogram of his then unborn granddaughter.
He didn’t consider the word unsuitable at the time because it had been used in a James Bond movie, he said during the interview.
“Although the recent controversy that triggered the News-Press story surrounds a private matter involving Mr. Weaver, it is the cavalier and demeaning comments made by Mr. Weaver in the paper that appalls these council members,” said Councilman Ara Najarian, who followed Quintero in reading the statement. “It is apparent he was not then, nor is he now, apologetic for his inappropriate comments and there is the need for Mr. Weaver to understand how truly out of line his comments were.”
--
Follow Brittany Levine on Google+ and on Twitter: @brittanylevine.
ALSO:
Three arrested in alleged vehicle-burglary attempt
Former instructor accused of lewd acts with minor pleads no contest