Pico Rivera City Manager Bobadilla to be Terminated for Refusing to ‘Change’ City Vendor

Rene Bobadilla

By Brian Hews
March 8, 2018, 12:35 p.m.

Hews Media Group-Community News has exclusively learned that Pico Rivera City Manager Rene Bobadilla, who had his contract extended less than a year ago on a 3-2 vote, is being forced to resign today by three city councilmembers that include disgraced El Rancho Unified teacher Gregory Salcido.

The revelation came from high level sources inside City Hall as well as outside sources.

According to the sources, a lunch meeting was held last week at Pico Rivera’s Dal Rae restaurant attended by Bobadilla, Assistant City Manager Ben Cardenas, Mayor Gustavo Camacho, Armenta and two “potential city vendors.”

During the meeting, Armenta reportedly ordered Bobadilla to terminate the city’s contract with LEBA Inc., the long-time operators of the Pico Rivera Sports Arena.

Bobadilla evidently objected to the termination because LEBA was not in violation of their contract.

Armenta stood up from the meeting and reportedly said, “if that is the way you want it, then we will do something else.”

David Armenta

Brown Act Violation?

Days later, Armenta ordered Bobadilla to attend a meeting at a City park that Greg Salcido “unexpectedly” attended.

Bobadilla was reportedly told that three councilmembers – Armenta, Salcido, and Brett Tecero – would vote to terminate him and gave him until the close of business Wednesday to resign. If Bobadilla did not resign, an emergency meeting would be called to announce his formal termination.

If the three banded together to terminate Bobadilla, that would be a Brown Act violation that the Los Angeles County District Attorney would likely investigate.

Bobadilla did not resign yesterday, now there is an emergency meeting occurring at 5 p.m. today at City Hall.

Bobadilla was hired in Pico Rivera in June 2014, leaving a similar position in Huntington Park, and was recently rewarded a five-year contract extension in June 2017.

At the time of that vote, Salcido and Tercero voted against the extension while Armenta supported the contract.

Camacho and Councilman Bob Archuleta also supported the contract that paid Bobadilla $228,000 annually.

Long-time Pico Rivera resident John Abiltre told HMG-CN, “the very fact that David Armenta teamed up with a new voting majority that now includes Salcido is an ultimate display in hypocrisy. How could Armenta proclaim to the voters and residents of Pico Rivera that Salcido is unfit to serve as a City Councilman and then go running to him to further promote his corrupt activities?”

Another long-time Pico Rivera resident and Salcido recall proponent Andre Martinez stated, ‘the mere fact that Salcido would have the opportunity to participate in a vote that is so unfair and detrimental to the community of Pico Rivera is a disgrace. He knows his days are numbered and that the recall will be an overwhelming success yet here he is having the last laugh at our City’s expense.”

If terminated, Bobadilla’s 18 month resignation settlement will include pay and benefits totaling over $375,000.

Martinez said, “that is a gross misuse of public funds and something the voters of Pico Rivera should hold Armenta, Salcido and Tercero accountable for.”

Armenta is up for reelection in November this year and if qualified, Salcido’s recall election could take place at the same time. Tercero faces reelection in November 2020 if voters don’t seek a recall before that time.

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