LATHROP – A Lathrop City Council incident Monday night involving resident J. Chaka Santos did not quite reach the seriousness of a Georgianna Reichelt incident.

But it was serious enough to merit being gaveled down by Mayor Kristy Sayles.

It started with Santos commenting on the two recommended projects that the city would like to submit to the 2010 One Voice lobbying trip to Washington, D.C. in April. However, Chaka’s deviation on the subject prompted the mayor to pound the gavel while indicating that Santos was out of order. The mayor’s action was prompted by comments directed by Santos to the mayor about taking the One Voice trips on taxpayers’ money while the city is “already in dire straits.”

While Santos was talking, Sayles tried to interrupt him by pointing out that the item on the agenda was not on who are supposed to go to the lobbying trip but on the ratification of projects that the city will need to submit to the San Joaquin Council of Governments for lobbying purposes in D.C.

Santos, however, ignored the mayor’s call for order and continued his verbal attack aimed at the mayor.

Finally, the mayor pounded the gavel and told Santos, “You are done!”

But Santos went on talking. The mayor glanced toward the direction of Police Lt. Christian Pehl  who was standing in the back of the council chambers.

“Remove me!” was the challenging reply of Santos to the mayor’s order to cease talking.

Finally, after saying a few more words on the podium, and as the mayor continued to look toward the direction of the lieutenant, Santos finally said, “Good night. I’m off,” and went back to sit in the table reserved for the press in the back of the room.

In April 2009, Manteca resident Reichelt reached a $40,000 settlement in a lawsuit she filed against the city after Sayles ordered two deputies to escort her out of a council meeting when she refused to stop making what the mayor deemed were personal attacks. The incident happened at the March 14, 2008 council meeting.

According to the announcement from the city, the settlement was reached “in order to avoid further litigation and attorneys’ fees and costs” connected with her complaint that her constitutional rights were violated.

Commenting about the result of her lawsuit, Reichelt said she was “extremely happy” but insisted she did not do it for the money. All she wanted to do was stand up for her rights, said the community activist whose voice has been heard for years on a variety of hot-button issues at many public meetings not only in the cities of Lathrop and Manteca but in San Joaquin County’s Board of Supervisor meetings as well.

“Anybody can disagree with me, but I have a right (to speak). And that’s the way it should be. Government is the people, because it’s all up to the people and everybody should stick up for their own rights. I hope that anybody that feels that their rights are violated should stick up for their own rights, and that’s what I did,” she said.

To contact Rose Albano Risso, e-mail ralbanorisso@mantecabulletin.com or call (209) 249-3536.