I am so damn sick and tired of the invasion of my privacy and the continual assaults by Tulare Public Cemetery District Trustee Xavier Avila. Xavier Avila is a public figure, who is currently on the Board of the Tulare Regional Medical Center and the Tulare Public Cemetery.
Xavier started questioning mine and my wife’s residency and voter registration a few months ago. He then went public on social media about a week ago commenting on an article that had been published in the Valley Voice regarding the 8/27 Tulare Public Cemetery meeting.
I am not a Republican and it’s been a number of years since I was registered, and then as a Democrat. What does my current registration status have to do with my wife, Vicki Gilson, being on the Tulare Public Cemetery District?
I find his stalking of a private citizen unfit for someone serving the citizens of Tulare and his accusations aimed towards me and my are wife are pretty rich considering the Tulare Public Cemetery District flagrantly breaks the law.
The Cemetery Board, currently chaired by Steve Presant, does not honor the Brown Act modifications allowed by Governor Newsom’s Executive Orders for public meetings. The state emergency order allows teleconference or electronic communications to allow Board members and the public to participate when COVID-19 conditions apply.
Chair Steve Presant, and Trustees Xavier Avila and Jim Pennington demanded in person attendance only for both the 4/23/2020 regular meeting and the 8/27/2020 regular meeting. It was only County Counsel staffer Aaron Zaheen who told the three trustees at the 8/27 meeting that they were required by law to allow my wife’s participation by teleconferencing.
My wife serves on the Cemetery Board and Xavier seems to have a vendetta against her. He is illogically questioning not only her, but my voter registration. Due to Covid-19 and my health status, it is necessary for remote participation.
Xavier Avila has a record of ranting and raving during recorded public board meetings, not only against fellow board members, but the public as well. He rants against all those opposed to him – continuously on the Caring Cause Facebook site, the Valley Voice Facebook site.
He continuously maligns, distorts and accuses others of wrong-doing. His questioning of my voter registration status is out of line. The only thing I can say about him is that he didn’t trespass at my home in Tulare as did Chair Steve Presant.
My wife, Vicki Gilson, has been serving on the Cemetery Board since 5/2017. Due to COVID-19, she hasn’t been able to attend some of the board meetings in person.
I have nothing to do with Vicki’s involvement and service to the Cemetery. Why Xavier Avila is trying to dishonor her, or me in the process, is beyond my comprehension.
I didn’t go to Vietnam to have to deal with a low life, alcoholic, want-to-be politician.
Larry Gilson