In National City, the town hall is in the process of disorders for allegations against the mayor’s office

Josie Flores-Clark is not unrelated to the controversy in city national governance.

Almost 20 years ago, Flores-Clark was criticized when she was authorized to work as mayor of Mayor Ron Morrison while employing a job in a towing company that contracted with the city. Faced with allegations of a conflict of interest, she resigned from the towing company after Morrison created a more paid position and promoted it.

Fast advance to the present, where Morrison is serving a new mandate as mayor and Clark remains his executive assistant. A similar situation took place during the meeting of the municipal council last week when the member of the Council Jose Rodriguez and several members of the public wondered if Morrison and Flores-Clark wrongly influence a controversial development project.

These allegations-including the suggestions of financial favors and bribes, which Morrison and Flores-Clark denied-were the last political and legal disputes which left the Town Hall in a state of disarray.

Controversial project

It has been three months since the developer Adeeb Brikho withdrew his proposal to transform a longtime land in Lincoln Acres into a mixed development development. But the project was again at the center of the disputed meeting of almost five hours last week and a trial brought in January.

The proposed development would have turned five lots along Sweetwater Road, between the Olive and Orange streets and just south of the Vista Cemetery and the Vista cemetery, in a service station, an automated car washing, a convenience store, a restaurant by car and a five-unit building.

City staff recommended approval. But the planning commissioners rejected the proposal on December 2 after public concerns were raised that great development would worsen traffic congestion, among other questions. The municipal council was to stamp the commission’s refusal a week later, but the project was withdrawn from the agenda after the developer withdrew the proposal.

Many still wonder if Morrison and Flores-Clark played a role in the recommendation of city staff at the planning committee.

Morrison and Flores-Clark have repeatedly rejected the accusations and said the problem should be deleted because the project is no longer going forward.

Micaela Polanco, president of the Park and cemetery of the Vista Memorial, is not willing to let him go. She worries the developer, who refused to comment on the issue, could propose another project in the future.

She filed a complaint in January against the city, seeking city files, such as communications between Brikho, Flores-Clark and other city officials. The objective, according to the trial: “To understand if the supporters of the project provided personal financial favors in (Flores-Clark), who then engaged in communications with national town planning staff concerning the approval of the project.”

At the meeting of the municipal council last week, the charges against the mayor and his assistant rose.

Michael Aguirre, Polanco lawyer and former prosecutor of the city of San Diego, asked Morrison in public comments on any potential excessive influence all in a large photo that he brought to Flores-Clark Reeping With Personal Planning.

Rodriguez, who tried without success to form a supervisory committee to investigate the trial, also challenged Morrison in open session. He asked if Morrison and his assistant “asked that the proposal be modified” or if it was aware that Flores-Clark organized a meeting with the developer and the owners of the commemorative park and the Vista cemetery. The developer and the owners of cemeteries had discussed the possibility that Brikho offers gas at reduced prices for cemetery vehicles, alcohol at reduced prices for cemetery events and a monument panel for ownership in exchange for Polanco support for mixed use project. Polanco said that the agreement was not concluded because it ultimately opposed the project which, according to many of the community, would be a nuisance.

Morrison said he was aware of offers to owners of cemeteries. But he refuted all the other accusations, saying that meetings with his office were simply informative on the request process, which is authorized.

“I will say unequivocally: we have not approached this different project from what we have dozens and dozens of other projects and developments that have preceded us,” said Morrison.

During the same council meeting, Polanco accused Flores-Clark of a separate problem. She allegedly alleged that Flores-Clark had sought several thousand dollars as bribes concerning a funeral for a family member at the Vista commemorative park and the cemetery.

Flores-Clark said on Friday that Polanco’s statements about it were false.

“If they had evidence, they would have already provided it,” she said. Referring to the trial, she added: “They will not find anything because we did nothing ordinary for this project that we did not do for any other project.”

The city’s prosecutor, Barry Schultz, argued the mayor, saying that on the basis “of all that I know, there was no undue influence”. He insisted that the project, although ambitious and with many conditions required by the staff, followed a typical approval process without “financial favors”.

“I do not know how much we have to do to satisfy you and I know that we are not going, but I must say that if you are going to have objections, let’s be true on this subject,” said Schultz.

Aguirre said he and his client would like the officials to adopt a policy that would help prevent any undue influence on elected officials on future proposals presented to the city.

Originally published: April 7, 2025 at 8:00 p.m.