Glendale City Council votes 4-3 to remove Lupe Conchas from office

The Glendale City Council voted 4-3 on Thursday to remove Councilmember Jose “Lupe” Conchas Jr. from office, declaring the Cactus District seat vacant after finding he no longer met the city charter’s qualifications to serve.

The vote followed a special meeting which said Conchas could not continue on the council after he was elected and sworn into the Salt River Agricultural Improvement and Power District board, a public office “which receives compensation.”

As Mayor Jerry Weiers finalized the decision, several in the audience shouted “shame” before being gaveled down.

Conchas, who asked the council not to remove him, said the decision would silence Cactus District residents.

“I did to the best of my ability to ensure that this motion and this resolution wasn’t here today,” Conchas said before the decision. “Please do not disenfranchise the residents of the Cactus District.”

Councilmember Dianna Guzman, voting yes, said she was simply following the law.

“I do not make this vote lightly,” Guzman said. “The real victims here are the residents of Cactus District, who I’m sure did not expect to lose their councilmember by his own doing.”

 

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Councilmember Bart Turner, who voted no, explained he had not seen evidence that Conchas had actually received compensation from the SRP board, which was the key issue under the city charter.

“I think overturning an election is one of the most serious things that we or any other elected body could do,” Turner said.

Before the vote, Conchas said he was willing to resign from the SRP board to keep his council seat.

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