LA MESA, Calif -- Some angry La Mesa residents are calling for Mayor Art Madrid to step down.

Madrid was drunk and lying on the sidewalk last week when La Mesa police drove him home.

On Tuesday night, Madrid apologized for the incident at a city council meeting.

On Wednesday, petitions were being prepared in an effort to recall the mayor.

In addition to the petition, an anonymous foe of La Mesa Mayor Art Madrid has set up an automated system that generates calls urging residents to complain about Madrid to county prosecutors, it was reported Thursday.

The calls, which began Wednesday night and describe Madrid as having been covered in vomit when he was found by police, ask residents to press the District Attorney's office for an investigation into the Feb. 20 incident, according to The San Diego Union-Tribune.

A special public meeting has been scheduled for 6 p.m. on Thurday at La Mesa City Hall to discuss whether Madrid received special treatment in the incident.

The meeting was scheduled at the urging of La Mesa City Council members Ernie Ewin, Dave Allan and Ruth Sterling, and several residents who attended the council's regularly scheduled meeting earlier in the week.

"I'm disgusted and mad," said resident Dennis Triss. "I'd like to see about getting all of the necessary paperwork to launch a recall. For Art Madrid, city of La Mesa."

Triss said enough is enough.

"Who's going to take Art Madrid seriously now?" he asked.

Madrid said, "I'm not pointing fingers at anybody; I did it."

The mayor admitted to drinking too much at the Chico Club last Wednesday.

He said he felt sick on the ride home and told his driver to stop the car.

"I sat on the curb and got sick," said Madrid.

Madrid drank in excess that night to mark the 19-year anniversary of his son's death from cancer, 10News reported.

It was Madrid's behavior that residents and other city officials said embarrassed the city.

"There are ramifications that transpire that we aren't even aware of yet," said La Mesa councilwoman Ruth Sterling.

On the Craigslist Web site, people have bashed the mayor, the city of La Mesa and its police department.

"If Art had exercised some common sense, the police wouldn't be involved," one posting on the site said.

The issue of special treatment was raised after police drove the mayor and his driver home and did not conduct a sobriety test.

Triss said police conduct would not have been an issue if Madrid made the right choice.

"He's a liability to the city," said Triss.

Some residents said it is not the police who should feel embarrassed.

"The police who took him home and the other staff person showed compassion," said resident Susan Taylor.

Madrid was unavailable for comment, but in an interview with 10News last week the mayor said, "It's embarrassing, humiliating and I take full responsibility for it."

He told the Union-Tribune Wednesday that he believes the calls have been orchestrated by political enemies.

La Mesa Police Chief Alan Lanning has said his officers did not know who Madrid was until they checked his identification. He said they would have done the same thing for anyone else in that situation.

In an exclusive 10News/SurveyUSA poll, La Mesa residents weighed in on their feelings toward the mayor and how the incident was handled.