Councilman Spicer's Wife Defends Him Against 'Bully' Accusations

Councilman Larry Spicer's wife took to the podium during Tuesday's City Council Meeting to defend her husband against recent allegations made by neighbors that he is a neighborhood bully, calling the neighbors' comments "an effort to embarrass and humiliate" the councilman.

The neighborhood dispute first reared its head in city council chambers during the May 15 City Council meeting, when Michael Vallejo, one of Spicer's neighbors on East Atara Street, accused Spicer of being a neighborhood bully. Vallejo alleged that Spicer threatened neighbors and made racist remarks about them over the last several years.

Spicer's wife, Delphine Spicer, addressed the City Council Tuesday and said Vallejo's comments were an effort to "try to embarrass an active council member on live television.”

Vallejo told the council last month that Spicer, , has harassed the neighborhood for years. He read letters from other neighbors accusing the councilman of various transgressions.

"I feel like he plays mind games," one letter stated, as read by Vallejo. "He has yelled, threatened and made racial remarks to our children and their friends."

In one of the more unusual allegations, Vallejo read a letter stating that Delphine Spicer complained to neighbors that her husband sprayed her with a "high pressure hose." She disputed that allegation Tuesday.

Vallejo again addressed the City Council at the last City Council meeting on June 5, accusing the councilman of harassing and taunting neighbors.

"He is a 55-year-old man who is still a bully at his age," Vallejo said.

Spicer said the bad blood between her husband and Vallejo began because of an overgrown tree on Vallejo's property that extended onto her property, and the grievance escalated from there. She said she was considering taking legal action against Vallejo and other neighbors as a result of the allegations.