ArchivesIn 16 months Nogales Mayor Octavio Garcia-Von Borstel has had exclusive use of a new SUV purchased for him and the council, reportedly racking up more than 50,000 miles.
 In the wake of several dings on the body of the city’s Tahoe, numerous tire changes, and the mileage nearing that of the former vehicle, a 1998 Crown Vic, Mayor Octavio Garcia-Von Borstel is under fire. Photo / Denise Holley |
“It’s about image,” the mayor said in a subsequent conversation. “Image is important for a city like ours on the border” that is the gateway to billions of dollars in trade.
The 1998 Ford Crown Victoria that was replaced had been used by four former mayors who had among them racked up 58,000 miles in nearly 10 years of driving the non-descript white sedan.
Council members have not expressed a desire to use the new SUV. In fact, when it was approved, Councilman Nubar Hanessian questioned the need for an eight-passenger vehicle. When told the Tahoe could accommodate the entire council and mayor, he reminded his colleagues that whenever a majority meets, by state law, it must be posted 24 hours in advance.
Nevertheless, the SUV was authorized at a cost of about $40,000 in part because, according to an order by the mayor and council “said vehicle is in the best interest and welfare of the City of Nogales.”
Now, in the wake of several dings on the body, numerous tire changes, and the mileage nearing that of the ’98 Crown Vic, Garcia-Von Borstel is under fire. Councilwoman Esther Melendez Lopez has requested the issue be placed on the agenda of the next regular meeting on Oct. 7. In an interview, she said “his use of the vehicle is not in the best interest and welfare of the city. It is excessive and we need to establish procedures as to its use.”
On Thursday, Garcia-Von Borstel stepped outside a meeting of the Greater Nogales Santa Cruz County Port Authority to address a reporter’s questions via telephone. He said the criticism of his use of the Tahoe “is an effort to slow or stop my hard work ethics. But I am going to continue to do outreach and establish relationships that are so critical to the success of this administration.
“That is my job. It is all about strengthening and establishing relationships and specifically do outreach,” he said. “The mileage on the vehicle demonstrates exactly that “ the dedication and commitment from my office to carry out this responsibility.
“I regularly meet with local, state and government officials from both sides of the border. For example, I attended the inauguration of the new governor of Sonora, Guillermo Padres by invitation.
Garcia-Von Borstel recently flew to Mexico City where he met the newly elected congressmen from Sonora, Miguel Pompa Corella, Jose Luis Leon-Perea, Rogelio Diaz Brown and Odesimo Marsicales.
“On Sunday, I met with Nogales’ Sonora Mayor Jose Angel Hernandez and former Mayor Marco Antonio Martinez Dabdoub in Hermosillo when Padres was administered the oath of office,” he said.
On this side of the border he also has traveled to meet with the congressional delegation, state legislators and the governor, he said.
“This administration has been successful; we’ve set goals and - are achieving them,” Garcia-Von-Borstel said. “I am not going to let anyone stop me from trying to put Nogales on the map. Just look at the successes we’ve had “ the soccer field lights, the construction of Camp Little Park; a Double-A bond rating; and a $4.7 million rainy-day fund. No other city, the county and even the state can say that. We have been able to retain 100-percent employment. We have not laid anyone off.
“Through advocacy, we have not let the doors shut in Nogales. Look at the expansion project of the Mariposa Port of Entry,” he said.
Councilman Arturo Garino believes the mayor has abused the privilege of using the city vehicle, he said.
Already suspicious after he disproved statements during the budgeting process about the safety of city trucks and equipment, “I noticed what I felt were high gasoline and fuel expenses,” Garino said.
Authorized by City Manager (Jaime) Fontes to look into fleet issues, Garino requested the records of 105 vehicles, not including those used for public safety (police and fire).
“When I saw the (Tahoe) expenses, I could not believe it,” he said.
Garino has formally requested Interim City Attorney Jose Luis Machado to investigate.
In a letter to Machado, he said, “As I reviewed these documents, I discovered that one vehicle did not show proper mileage on several occasions.”
For two months after the Tahoe was purchased, Garcia-Von Borstel logged his mileage at the city’s bulk gasoline filling station. He was issued a key with an identification number that helps fleet management identify which vehicle is being filled.
After the second month, the field on the pump where the mileage should be input was instead filled in with the numbers “1111” or “2222” thus making it impossible to track actual mileage.
This practice continued until May 21, 2009, when the fleet department manager used his key and logged 43,957 miles. After that date, the pattern of using the fictitious numbers began again.
Queried why he did not log in actual miles, Garcia-Von Borstel said, “Simply because there is no written policy on mileage and consumption.”
After the first two months, the mayor said, “my odometer went blank and I would just punch in 1111. I’m no dummy. I know this is all public record. I encourage anyone to look it up.”
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Comments
Taxpayer wrote on Oct 4, 2009 8:02 PM:
whatever wrote on Oct 3, 2009 1:39 AM:
Jon D wrote on Oct 2, 2009 11:22 PM:
Huachuca Boy wrote on Oct 2, 2009 2:11 PM:
Jon D wrote on Oct 1, 2009 6:56 PM:
First and foremost - I am a Native of Nogales and have been so for well over 50 years now. I have a wonderful life and beautiful family - However, you would not know that since you have no clue as to who I am. So please, take on your on offer or find someone else who needs it.
Second - Who I am is not important nor relevant to this matter. Nor is any of your business.
Now - let's correct your information.
Fact 1 - I do not comment to every NI story. Not only are you totally wrong - but I really do not care to do so. I only blog to items of importance and where I believe a wrong or right has to be annouced to the public.
Fact 2 - Not all of my blogs are negative. Obviously you must have missed a lot of my positive blogs. (go back and search)
Fact 3 - The misuse of government property should not be ignored nor tolerated. There have been several employee's (federal, state and municiple) that have lost thier jobs for such conduct. If you do not believe me, go as the Deputy City Administrator - Mr. Kissinger. In fact - go read the rules.
If my comments or blogs offend you - don't read them. -
Sometimes the truth is just a little to hard to swallow for some folks.. "
Concerned wrote on Oct 1, 2009 3:02 PM:
Nogales native wrote on Sep 30, 2009 8:18 PM:
Jon D wrote on Sep 30, 2009 6:19 PM:
Misuse of Government Property should not be tolerated.
Nogales USE TO BE a city with clean streets, working light standards, and there was no SEWAGE running down the middle of town.
So he help make a mini park off Western Ave....Big WOOPY! "
SHE wrote on Sep 30, 2009 1:51 PM:
You want to know why he doesn't use his car??? So when he gets rid of it, the milleage is not that high, get a good price for the car back, and the gas that he is getting right now, comes out of the state money. Yeah, we paid for that car and gas too. Way to go no wonder everybody from the outside sees Nogales croocked from top to bottom. "
Please dont help me wrote on Sep 29, 2009 5:40 PM:
Question wrote on Sep 29, 2009 9:47 AM:
Then why does the downtown area look and feel more like a two-bit horse town?
Why does raw sewage flow through the town and streets on occasion? "
LMAO wrote on Sep 29, 2009 9:45 AM:
Yes the odometer goes blank when you turn off the engine. It is a digital read out, you have to have the key turned slightly to be able to keep it powered when the engine is off. "
Me wrote on Sep 28, 2009 4:40 PM:
When you use Government vehicles, they are for "Official Use Only," not to shop at Safeway, Wal-Mart, The Tucson Mall, and are not meant to transport family members to your "meetings."
It's clear that your personal interest "for self first, and community second" has finally caught up to you. Keep your integrity intact and just come clean... your image would be respected if you just didn't lie.
It is sad that you didn't cut personnel from the City... you should have cleaned house, and kept the honest and trustworthy employess in your city departments... including fire and police.
It is obviuos that many citizens do not like you, but be faithful to the ones that have always supported you.
You want to have a good image? Don't be like the other idiot leaders we have had in the past.
Be humble, and remember that you work for the City of Nogales, the city doesn't work for you - they work with you... for the best interest of this city. "
Supportthemayor wrote on Sep 28, 2009 2:56 PM:
1. He is Married, so he would be seeing his wife not his girlfriend.
2. He owns a 2008 Mercedes CL55, so he owns his own car.
He has done alot in helping the city, just sit back and support him, I bet all of you also think our obama is running our country into the ground as well. Just go about your own lifes and let him do his job, its a car get over it "
Jon D wrote on Sep 27, 2009 11:24 PM:
MISUSE OF GOVERNMENT PROPERTY!!
If this would have been any other city employee - he would be FIRED!! "
Dear Salsacaliente wrote on Sep 27, 2009 10:56 PM:
I would rather have a Mayor that follows through on things like parks and budgeting than a Mayor who nixes things just because someone else has started it.
And he generated a food drive that collected over 5,000 items for the poor. That is something. Maybe not to your standards, but he collected for the poor, while the others nixed things that they did not like which would have helped the poor.
Barraza was not in office long enough to affect much except a horribly divided city and council, and the park that was built on Western avenue, it was started by the Karmer administration. "
salsacaliente wrote on Sep 27, 2009 1:26 PM:
Connuck, if you would have reviewed his record carefully you would have noticed he is all pompous talk and self-aggrandizing.
There is not one thing he has done that was not started by another administration, including the lights at the soccer field, Camp Little Park, and even the AA bond rating was a result of frugal spending by the Barraza team.
His driving in Mexico is without benefit of auto insurance. If he hits and kills a Mexican national, who pays? Not him. He doesn't even have a job. If someone steals the vehicle, guess who is out. Not him. But, as he told Channel 13 News, he can always borrow a car from his parents.
This isn't high school, Connuck, and he is not a teen (although he acts like one.) "
Scott Connuck wrote on Sep 27, 2009 11:53 AM:
hector wrote on Sep 27, 2009 11:14 AM:
876 wrote on Sep 26, 2009 8:06 PM:
Aghhhh wrote on Sep 26, 2009 2:21 PM:
Raul Castro wrote on Sep 26, 2009 10:47 AM:
Newsgal wrote on Sep 26, 2009 8:36 AM:
Wonderboy wrote on Sep 25, 2009 1:39 PM:
On that note, the grandstanding of Garino and Melendez is very transparent. They should be investigating abuses for sure, but they should look into the hiring practices that Fontes is using to fill positions as well as the special favors that the council, on a whole, is requesting, including the the ridiculous $5000 each for publicity and the Fiestas Patrias. Oh but that would be self politicing, and that does not happen here does it.
Like I said, the Mayor should not have bought the car, should not have used it the way he did, should not have said the things he said, but he is the Mayor of NOGALES, where this is perfectly acceptable by all including Garino and Melendez who are now "investigating" him.
Oh Nogales, one day you will join the rest of America...one day. "