Sam LeDoux, an Española City Councilor, announced that he has filed a censure resolution against Mayor John Ramon Vigil. The resolution cites concerns over the mayor's behavior and a pattern of unaccountability. LeDoux made this statement on Facebook on February 3.
"It comes with heavy heart that yesterday I filed a censure resolution with the city clerk on Mayor John Ramon Vigil after it was revealed to me that he has no intentions of apologizing for disposing and damaging of stolen shopping carts in the city hall parking lot on January 26, 2025," said LeDoux, Española City Councilor District 4, according to Facebook. "While the Mayor and I have become political rivals the last few years, I still had hope in my heart that the love for his city would overcome his desire for power. I don't want to see him to continue to walk down this road. Unfortunately, it is clear that every action he's gotten away with has only made him bolder in his attempts to stretch the limits of what he can get away with. Anyone who's spent time with the Mayor the last few years knows that this behavior is sadly normal for him."
According to KRQE, on January 26, 2025, surveillance footage captured Mayor Vigil unloading shopping carts into a parking spot designated for a city administrator at city hall. Vigil said that he had collected approximately ten abandoned carts that day with the intention of storing them in a city yard. This incident has sparked discussions about the management of stray shopping carts in the city.
LeDoux's Facebook post
| Facebook
AOL reports that in a previous incident, Mayor Vigil was censured by the Jemez Mountains Electric Cooperative (JMEC) board following a closed-door executive session lasting nearly an hour and a half. This action was taken while Vigil was serving as a trustee of the cooperative.
LeDoux holds a Master of Professional Studies in Political Management from The George Washington University and has experience as an educator. He is currently serving as an adjunct faculty member at The University of New Mexico and Grand Canyon University, according to his LinkedIn profile.
