Julio Sánchez y Rafa Guerrero | 10 de julio de 2026

The municipal worker reviewed together with Rafa Guerrero, on Radio Carlota, his extensive career in the City Council and his close link with local music and culture

Simón Aguayo begins a new stage after retiring after 45 years of service in different areas of the City of La Carlota. The municipal worker, a native of Posadas and closely linked for decades to the municipality of Carlota, reviewed his professional and personal career during an interview conducted by Rafa Guerrero on Radio Carlota.

Aguayo arrived in La Carlota in 1981, when he was just 19 years old. While studying, he learned of some competitive examinations called by the City Council, decided to apply and got the place. That opportunity changed the course of his life and began a professional career that has lasted for more than four decades.

During the conversation he recalled what administrative work was like in his early years, when typewriters, tracing paper, hand-filled receipts and an old photocopier that left documents stained with oil were still used. Since then, it has witnessed the progressive computerization of the administration and the growth of La Carlota, which has gone from having about 7,000 inhabitants to approximately doubling its population.

Throughout these 45 years, Simón Aguayo has held positions in numerous municipal areas. He began working in rents and also took care of building licenses, cemetery, openings of activities and sanctioning procedures. During his last years he has developed his work in the administrative area of Urban Planning.

One of the aspects that he especially highlighted during the interview was the importance of close attention to the citizen. For Aguayo, the City Council is the administration closest to the population and, although many consultations are not directly within the municipal competence, the public worker must try to inform, guide and accompany those who request help.

"The citizen comes because they need something and our mission is to meet that obligation and accompany them," he explained. In this sense, he defended that the public service consists of facilitating the procedures that are possible and, when a request cannot be legally attended, clearly explaining the reasons.

A life also dedicated to music

In addition to his professional career, the interview allowed him to remember Simón Aguayo's deep bond with music and, especially, with songwriting.

In 1993 he participated in the creation of the Encuentro de Cantautores de La Carlota, an initiative that arose from a group of five friends who are fans of this musical genre. What began as a small exhibition grew year after year with the incorporation of new artists and instruments until it became a benchmark event.

The initiative came to hold eleven meetings and four contests, becoming, as Aguayo recalled, the oldest meeting of singer-songwriters in Spain held consecutively during that stage.

Behind the concerts there was a coexistence between the participants that began months before, sharing songs, preparing arrangements, voices, accompaniments and performances. Simon's own house became a meeting place and accommodation for some of the artists.

During the interview, one of the most shocking anecdotes of that time was also recalled. While preparing one of the contests, Aguayo fell from a ladder of several meters when he tried to place some black cloths on the stage. After being treated for a head injury, he returned to the venue with a bandage to continue collaborating in the assembly.

For Rafa Guerrero, this episode reflects the dedication of who was the "alma mater" of a cultural activity that was born from the citizen initiative and that left numerous memories among the participants and the public.

The affection of colleagues and neighbors

Simón Aguayo also had words of recognition for his colleagues in the City Council, some already retired and others deceased, from whom he learned during his first years as a municipal employee.

He said he felt fortunate to have worked with a team committed to serving citizens. He also recalled how, when he began to work, he still coincided with municipal employees who had begun their career after the Civil War, which allowed him to learn about different generations and ways of understanding the administration

At the end of the interview, he wanted to thank the people of La Carlota for the affection they have received over the years. Although he came from Posadas, he considers that the municipality of Carloteño has become his second town.

"I take La Carlota's affection. They welcomed me from the first moment and, after 45 years, I know many people and several generations," he said

Retirement will now allow him to rest, enjoy his family and dedicate more time to music, guitar and study. However, Rafa Guerrero reminded him that Radio Carlota will continue to be his home and that the doors of the station will remain open for future collaborations.

Simón Aguayo thus closes a professional career marked by proximity, education and a vocation for service, but begins a new stage in which he will continue to be linked to La Carlota, its culture and one of his great passions: music.