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
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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David Armenta is a crook. He’s as slimy as they come. The mere fact that Salcido would join him in firing Bobadilla tells you they are corrupt!.
Once again David Armenta poisons his city. The eternal free-loader and backroom dealer strikes again. Suspicion has long been that Armenta is a DA informant hence his astonishing ability to avoid indictment and prosecution. It’s well-known that Armenta is paid off by numerous businesses associated with the city including the trash provider NASA that gave Armenta $100,000 when they were awarded the contract. Let’s hope people step up and provide tips to this paper which is the only publication with the balls to print stories like these!!
True story about Armenta. He was married once, about 35 years ago to a nice woman named Robyn. They had a son Kevin. Armenta was such a piece of shit that Robyn started dating another man (who she went on to marry and have another child with). The twist is that this guy was her son’s best friend and he was only 19! Long story short, Armenta went psycho as usual and she got a restraining order and he violated it and was arrested. The Whittier Daily News had Armenta’s picture on the front page in his orange jump suit in chains. Classic. As a result of that experience, Armenta has never had another steady relationship and has been abusive and psycho with every woman since. In fact, this paper ran a story about a woman named Maria who was also trying to get a retraining order against the guy. I know many more woman exist that despise this creep and I wish they’d all step forward. I recall the late-Pastor Richard Ochoa from the Lords Vineyard Church prohibited Armenta from marching with his protestors back when the Showgirls Strip club was on Slauson because Armenta only showed up to hit on the ladies marching! What a scum bag!
Get your facts right!
The City of Pico Rivera is in dire need of Term Limits. Term Limits will help stop the corruption. Councilmen Salcido has been in office for more than 17 years. TERM LIMITS!
This is FAKE NEWS! Everyone knows Armenta is gay!