GLENDALE, Ariz. — City Councilmember Jose “Lupe” Conchas Jr. said he prioritizes advocacy efforts focused on social welfare, poverty, homelessness and education, having experienced many of these issues firsthand, and he uses his role on the council to help.

“I know what it’s like to live without running water or electricity,” Conchas said. “I remember when I was four years old, I dropped noodles, really hot ramen noodles, on my legs and my mom had to run down the street to get water and to call 911. And I remember eating sardines, crackers and grape soda in candlelight.”

Conchas said he has lived in Arizona his whole life and has lived in Glendale since 2017. He said his advocacy journey started in 2010, and since then, he has worked with various campaigns and volunteer organizations, which eventually led him to join the city council as representative for the Cactus District.

“I just decided that we needed better representation,” Conchas said. “We also needed more beautiful communities, we need safer communities, and we really needed a voice and an advocate on the city council to talk about the issues that are happening here.”

Conchas also holds a position on the district board of Arizona’s Salt River Project, which raised questions over his eligibility to also serve on the city council, leading to his being voted off the council. He was later reinstated after a judge ruled his removal unconstitutional.

Conchas said he considers his position with SRP an “extension” of his role as a council member that gives him knowledge over current water and electricity allocation in the state, which is important to him because he understands how valuable these resources are.

Conchas said he remembers hearing about a woman who couldn’t afford to pay for electricity for air conditioning and died from heat-related illnesses.

“I think that heat-related deaths are preventable,” Conchas said. “And I also believe that we have an opportunity as elected officials to put the people who are most vulnerable and who essentially have the least amount of means and the lowest socioeconomic status at the forefront.”

Glendale City Council Member Leandro Baldenegro said he believes that Conchas’s position on the council should not remain alongside his position with SRP, because whether it is legal under the city’s charter, it creates unnecessary confusion and bad press.

Baldenegro said he’s had multiple residents come to him to express their concerns about the controversy.

“Some of them were embarrassed by what was happening, and I get it,” Baldenegro said. “Their thought process is, ‘We don’t want this. We want things to run smoother. We want things to run better. We want someone to have done their research and know for a fact whether or not we’re supposed to do that.’”

Baldenegro said Conchas may not be the right person to represent the people of Glendale because of his age and lack of experience, which he said shows through in this situation.

Gary Hirsch, a resident of the Cactus District, is a personal friend of Conchas and co-owner of EnviroScape Services LLC, a local landscaping company.

“I was notably impressed with Mr. Conchas’ attitude, his outlook, his intellect, the energy,” Hirsch said. “He seemed to have a really all-encompassing view of council service, which is kind of unusual.”

Hirsch said he believes the controversy over Conchas’ position is a “persecution,” and said Conchas approached at least one attorney to confirm whether taking the SRP position would be a violation of the city charter, but when Conchas’ position was under scrutiny, the attorney never came forward.