HomeMy WebLinkAboutRivera, Lily_Special Meetng - Commissioner SuarezFrom:Lily Rivera
To:PublicComments
Cc:Dr. Treasure Ortiz
Subject:Special Meetng - Commissioner Suarez
Date:Wednesday, December 3, 2025 10:49:28 AM
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Dear Mayor Tran and Members of the San Bernardino City Council,
You are tasked with a difficult decision. The removal of Victor Suares from the Arts and
Historical Preservation Commission is not a decision that you will take lightly, I know. It is a
decision that calls upon you to consider all aspects of the case before you. To that end, I write
in support of Victor, to present you the Victor I know, the Victor whose life contradicts the
image created by the charges against him.
I have known Victor for nearly 30 years, since he participated in the Inland Empire Future
Leaders Program (IEFL) co-founded by my husband Dr. Tom Rivera. The leadership training
program for 8th and 9th graders promotes responsible family life, education, and the
betterment of community through participatory volunteer service. Importantly, the program
encourages participants to publicly address issues that inhibit the growth and rights of people
and communities. You can imagine the pride we, the leaders of the IEFL family, take when one
of our graduates grows up to reflect exactly those values. Victor is a responsible father. He is
an admired teacher at a local high school. He has a history of years of committed community
service in diverse organizations. It is easy for us in IEFL to point to Victor with pride and
admiration for his character and accomplishments.
Service on the Arts and Historical Preservation Commission requires Victor to preserve and
protect our County’s historical properties. Today he comes before you to preserve and protect
a far more personal property: his reputation. He seeks to remain on the Commission because
continued membership protects his standing in the community and the opportunity to
continue serving in leadership roles. Most importantly, dismissal of the charges against him
protects the admiration he has earned from his friends, colleagues, and family, especially his
two young daughters.
He comes before you on charges based on the fact that he expressed concerns---not through
anonymous rumor and inuendo but through statements delivered through proper community
feedback channels. To Victor’s knowledge, no investigation of the charges against him has
been made. It is difficult for him not to consider that retaliation for expressing concerns has
led to the charges against him. They are serious charges that malign him. The mere existence
of the unfair, uninvestigated charges against Victor will shadow him for the rest of his life.
I ask that you consider that Victor acted in concert with the duties of a responsible citizen and
that he has served admirably since appointed to the Commission. I ask that your deliberations
take into account that Victor has not been served with evidence of a thorough investigation of
the charges against him. Finally, I ask that you consider the fact that Victor possesses the very
qualities and competencies that the Arts and Historical Commission needs.
I thank you for your service and for the opportunity to provide public input.
Sincerely,
Lily Rivera, Phd.
Retired Educator and Community Servant