On Thursday, July 19, about 150 residents attended a Town Hall Meeting to discuss the upcoming recall election set for November.

Residents were given information about running for the council seats and asked what attributes they would like to see in their next council representatives. Members of the recall committee urged residents to volunteer and told those interested in running for the city council seats to seek guidance from San Fernando city clerk Elena Chavez.

Resident Paul Luna spoke frankly about the city's finances calling the city budget a "shell game." Luna said that the city of San Fernando has moved dollars from one budget line to another, a practice that he said has also been done in city's currently making headlines for going bankrupt.

Luna said it's been difficult to get accurate numbers out of city hall and recommended that prospective candidates have financial experience. Resident Julian Ruelas, who heads up the recall committee said the meeting was called to discuss moving the city forward, but when Mayor Brenda Esqueda with her supporters walked into the meeting and sat down in the front row directly in front of the speaker, the mood of the meeting changed. Esqueda passed notes and interrupted the speaker with her comments. "You're paid," she yelled at speaker Jeff Monical, a consultant for the Police Officers Association. "I think you're being very disruptive," he told Esqueda. The POA has been active in their support of the recall.

Residents would later question why Esqueda was permitted to attend the meeting which was set up to allow residents to speak freely about the upcoming recall election.