FPPC Fines Indio Mayor Waymond Fermon

Waymond Fermon fined for 2018 campaign

INDIO — The California Fair Political Practices Commission has fined Mayor Waymond Fermon $2,126 for violations he committed during his 2018 campaign, according to documents the FPPC released today, Tuesday, Sept. 20.

It was his first election. He went on to emerge victorious over longtime incumbent Michael Wilson.

Despite the victory on Nov. 6, 2018, he apparently made nine costly missteps along the way.

Waymond Fermon for Indio City Council 2018 was Fermon’s candidate-controlled committee
and Sonya Galvez was the treasurer. The Committee, Fermon, and Galvez failed to timely file a
pre-election campaign statement, a Candidate Intention Statement, a Statement of Organization
Amendment, and six 24-hour contribution reports, totaling nine violations of four Government Codes.

“It was from filing late paperwork,” Fermon told Uken Report. “And spending personal funds early on in the 2018 campaign. I worked with the FPPC in 2018 to fix any mishaps.”

Fermon was unopposed this year in his bid for another four-year term. 

The Indio City Council on Wednesday, Aug. 24, declared the Councilmembers for Districts 2 and 4 since the incumbents had no opponents.

The action occurred during a virtual special meeting. The District 2 officeholder is Fermon and the District 4 incumbent is Mayor Pro Tem Oscar Ortiz.

“The appointment of these qualified candidates, as allowed in the elections code, will save the city $52,000 by not putting their names, unchallenged, on the ballot,” City Manager Bryan Montgomery said.

The District 3 seat will go before voters on Nov. 8 because the incumbent, Elaine Holmes, has an opponent, Jonathan Becerra.