Folsom councilman Roger Gaylord resigns

Roger Gaylord III, Folsom City Council member since 2016, announced his resignation Wednesday, June 10 and is leaving his post prior to the end of his term. Gaylord's resignation comes after he recently announced he had plans to relocate to El Dorado County. "Essentially, I was not asked to leave, but I was removed prior to resigning from all of my appointed board of director positions by Mayor Aquino, for no reason whatsoever besides the fact that she felt she didn't have the confidence that I could manage both. Quite honestly speaking, I was well in compliance. I am not going to deal with the harassment," said Gaylord.Mayor Sarah Aquino shared her response to Roger Gaylord's statement: "The mayor represents the city on intergovernmental relations, and may appoint someone to do so on her behalf with the concurrence of the council. Mr. Gaylord recently sold his home in Folsom, after purchasing a home in El Dorado County. State law and our city charter require that council members be resident registered voters. After checking on the status of Mr. Gaylord's voter registration with the county, I was concerned that he did not meet the requirements outlined in the charter and state law. I let him know that I would be representing the city on those boards going forward.""I thank Mr. Gaylord for his service to the city, and I wish him and his family the best of luck in their future endeavors," continued Aquino.Gaylord, a Folsom High School graduate and resident of 24 years, says even though he is leaving his duties behind as Folsom City Councilman, he is not stepping down his passion for growing and change."Today, I have decided to step away from public service on the Folsom City Council. And while I have vacated my home in this beautiful city, and my seat on the Council, I am not "stepping down" - because I intend to continue to find the best possible ways to make contributions to myself, my family and my community, of which Folsom will still remain a large part. This will be a step up,"stated Gaylord.Folsom residents showed their support of Gaylord on social media."He has always been a supporter of our educators!! Sad to have lost him," said Andi Agles Larin."Roger has been a huge asset to this city. He has been an amazing voice for the residents here. He is already missed," said Farrah Wood."Thank you for your transparency and honesty, you were a breath of fresh air," said Mary Ann Salinovich."I appreciate the expressions of appreciation that so many have sent over the years; they have kept the fires of passion kindled, constantly renewing my desire to serve. I also appreciate the criticisms expressed throughout my tenure; I heard it all, and I tried my best to let it fuel growth & positivity. But mostly, I would like to sincerely thank my family for enduring the ups & downs that public service brings into private life, especially my wife. She is a pillar in our home & the primary reason I was able to give so much of my time as a council member," stated Gaylord.The councilman has also recently commented on his support for the Black Lives Matter movement. "I support Black Lives Matter. I was raised to respect my neighbors and have always lived my life fighting for equality. I fight for racial equality. I fight against religious persecution. I fight for acceptance for our LGBTQ community. I fight to ensure equal rights and opportunities for Women. So I, as a white, conservative, elected official, have no problem saying Black Lives Matter, because they do," said Gaylord. Gaylord went from inline skater to elected official, and is an active member in the community that has championed a handful of grassroots community charity initiatives, including Lay Away Angels. He has served on the City of Folsom Utility Commission and on the Board of Director for the Sacramento Municipal Air Quality Control Board. Gaylord holds certificates in both Criminal Justice and California Fire Life Safety. He lived in Folsom with his wife and two sons whom attend local schools. Moving forward, Gaylord plans on doing a 24-month stint out of the public eye to focus on work, being with family and his business as an account manager for physical security systems.Gaylord reflected on his time in city council and shared advice for the community."Realistically, it was about issues I saw in the community I wanted to address and I wasn't getting the time of day from the politicians, so I became a politician. I built a following on social media, and at this point my goal is to keep the engagement and activity level up, especially in this area, and us that for the benefit of folks in the city and my new stuff in El Dorado County. I don't know how politically active I will believe in an official capacity, but I guarantee I will be politically active from an unofficial capacity."We live in a world today that is so dynamic. We don't have to disagree to a point of contention, we need to find middle ground and be transformative as far as finding a resolution to the problem we are dealing with. For me, what I want are people to stay passionately engaged, get involved, and hold your leaders accountable," continued Gaylord. Who will take Gaylord's place on the City Council? "We are determining how we will address the vacancy and keep the community informed," said Christine Brainerd, Communications Director.