Town’s Council Members Hang Up Cellular Phones

City Council members in Hawaiian Gardens are permanently hanging up their cellular car phones now that it has come to light that they racked up more than $12,000 in purchases and calling costs in eight months.

The vote to surrender the phones was made at a council meeting Tuesday. Mayor Rosalie Sher, the only council member without one, complained that the phones were an expensive perk in such a small city. Hawaiian Gardens is less than a square mile in size.

Phone bills show that Councilwoman Kathleen Navejas made $2,855 worth of calls in eight months, many to her home and her business in Santa Ana. She also made calls while on vacation in Arizona, the bills show.

Councilman Domenic Ruggeri’s calls cost taxpayers $1,229 over the same period. He acknowledged that some calls were related to his job as a novelty products salesman.