STANTON : Council to Oppose Card Club Proposals

It was like driving home the final nail in the coffin.

The City Council earlier this week approved, 4-0, a resolution to work against any future card club proposals.

Measure A, which sought to allow card clubs in the city, was rejected by voters by a 4-to-1 margin in a June 8 election.

The anti-card club resolution, initiated by Mayor Don Martinez, says the council will “discourage any overtures which might be made in the future to permit card clubs.”

Councilman Joe V. Harris, who campaigned for Measure A, was absent from Tuesday’s council meeting. He was named earlier this month in a recall drive by residents upset with his support of Measure A. Harris wrote the official ballot argument in favor of the measure, saying a card club would bring millions of dollars to the city.

Councilman Sal Sapien also is a target in the recall drive.

Martinez’s resolution noted the “overwhelming” opposition to Measure A and said the council “acknowledges the implied wishes of our constituents and will abide by those wishes.”

Robert K. Hyun, a resident who is organizing the recall drive, said Harris has not been served with recall papers because he has not been home. Harris has been absent from the last two council meetings for personal reasons, according to the city clerk’s office. Sapien was served with papers, Hyun said, adding that he and others will go to the city clerk’s office early next week to file for a recall election and start collecting signatures.

To schedule a recall election, the group will have to collect signatures from at least 20% of the city’s 10,675 registered voters, or 2,135 signatures.

“I think we’ll get it handily,” Hyun said.