Tulare Cemetery Trustee Alberto Aguilar addressed yesterday’s Tulare County Board of Supervisor’s meeting concerning Supervisor Pete Vander Poel not reappointing Vicki Gilson to Tulare Public Cemetery Board.
Vander Poel thanked Gilson for her service and wished her well in her retirement to another state. Aguilar responded that he had talked to Gilson that morning and said that Gilson has not retired and did not moved to another state. Aguilar confirmed that Gilson applied for the board position and expected to be reappointed.
Because of pressure put on Vander Poel by several other members of the cemetery board he appointed Carlos Ramos to the trustee seat.
The following is Aguilar’s statement to the board.
“My name is Alberto Aguilar and in my opinion it is a mistake not to reappoint Vicki Gilson as a Trustee to Tulare Public Cemetery District, whereas she is the most knowledgeable individual on the board and has the most seniority. Vicki was appointed as a Trustee on April 2017, and in September 2017, she discovered the embezzlement and theft by the former office manager of the cemetery, and she asked Tulare County Legal Counsel to write letters to the former employees requesting that they return official financial records, keys and other documents. Upon discovering the theft, she contacted Tulare County Auditor Controller and asked for stop payment on the illegal payroll checks processed by the former office manager who had submitted fraudulent payroll records for herself, her husband, and other employees.
The Auditor’s office was able to stop payment on just one payroll check because the office manager and her husband cashed their payroll checks for the entire month of September 2017, one day before their resignation letters dated September 15, 2017.
In my opinion, Trustee Vicki Gilson is a champion and a hero who has always acted to protect the best interest of Tulare Public Cemetery District.
Trustee Steve Presant has written and told many lies about Vicki Gilson, such as that she does not live in Tulare, and that she is not a registered voter, and he accused Vicki of not attending any board meetings between December 2019 through May 2020. All these accusations have been proved to be bold-face lies.
As Chairman of the Board, Steve refused to allow Vicki to participate in board meetings via telecommunications and when she challenged legal counsel advise on this matter, she won. Members of he public applauded her courage to fight for her rights.
I compare the lies and misinformation Steve Presant has been advocating about Vicki Gilson similar to the lies and misinformation being told by President Donald Trump!”