Recall rally set after resident removed from Floresville City Council meeting

Eric Rodriguez had submitted recall petition for mayor, councilmen

SAN ANTONIO – The removal of a man from last week's Floresville City Council meeting has sparked some anger in the South Texas town.

The meeting ended dramatically as Eric Rodriguez was escorted out. He was issued a criminal trespass warning from police the next day and banned from City Hall.

Mayor Sherry Castillo had police issue the warning to Rodriguez, but on Tuesday, she wrote a letter to the police chief dropping her complaint.

Rodriguez and City Councilman Jim Miller say the moves are an abuse of power by Castillo.

"The mayor has no authority to direct the police department to take any action," Miller said.

The tension stems from a recall petition Rodriguez submitted to City Council for the removal Castillo and City Councilmen Daniel Tejada and Juan Ortiz.

Rodriguez and Miller are now planning a recall rally in hopes of getting the council's attention.

"I want the council to realize that this is the will of the people," Rodriguez said. "Not the will of Eric, not the will of anyone else other than the will of the people."

KSAT 12 News was not able to speak to Castillo or Ortiz on Wednesday, but Tejada sent the following statement:

"The rally and the recall is based on an investigation conducted on the qualifications of Jim Miller. An investigation proved and later upheld in district court that Jim Miller is not a resident of Floresville. He lives in San Antonio with his wife and family. It is extremely ironic and disappointing that Eric and Jim will not accept the laws of the city and the state of Texas. Jim, a resident of San Antonio, should resign immediately and stop the shenanigans."

The recall rally is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Thursday outside Floresville City Hall. The City Council meeting begins at 7 p.m.


About the Author:

Erica Hernandez is an Emmy award-winning journalist with 15 years of experience in the broadcast news business. Erica has covered a wide array of stories all over Central and South Texas. She's currently the court reporter and cohost of the podcast Texas Crime Stories.