ELECTION
2018
A Special publication of the
TURLOCKJOURNAL.COM
C O N T E N T S GUIDE FOR NEW VOTERS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 TURLOCK MAYORAL CANDIDATES BRAD BATES AND AMY BUBLAK. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 JAIME FRANCO AND GARY SOISETH. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 TURLOCK CITY COUNCIL CANDIDATES NICOLE LARSON. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 JON BOULOS AND AUTUMN SALAZAR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 FORREST WHITE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 BILL DEHART. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 ANDREW NOSRATI. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 TUSD BOARD OF TRUSTEES CANDIDATES EILEEN HAMILTON AND MARY JACKSON. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 SUSAN THOMAS AND TRAVIS WALSH. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 JEFFREY CORTINAS AND KERISTOFER SERYANI. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
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PUBLISHER Hank Vander Veen EDITOR Kristina H. Hacker ART DIRECTOR Harold L. George GRAPHIC DESIGNER Sharon Hoffman ADVERTISING Beth Flanagan Charles Webber WRITERS AND PHOTOGRAPHERS Kristina Hacker Angelina Martin
To advertise in the next special section contact the advertising department at (209) 634-9141.
The ONLY candidate to: ✓ Voluntarily limit campaign donations � ✓ Donate his salary to Stanislaus State � student scholarships ✓ Be endorsed by both Turlock Firefighters � Local #2434 and Sheriff Adam Christianson
A clear vision for safe, reliable drinking water Proven ability to secure over $200m for Turlock roads “Gary has led Turlock with integrity, determination, and empathy. I know what it takes to be mayor and there’s no one better suited for the job than him.� Mayor Curt Andre (Served 1990—2006)
SOISETHFORTURLOCK.COM # @  � � � �   €  ‚ ƒ
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Track record of increasing reserves, investing in public safety, and paying down debt
Guide for new voters
Registering to Vote U.S. citizens 18 years or older are eligible to vote. The deadline to send in the registration form is Oct. 22. You can sign up online at registertovote.ca.gov or pick up a form at your library, post office, county elections office, or get one mailed to you by calling (800) 345-8683. Once you are signed up, you only have to re-register if you move, change your name, or want to change your political party.
sent to you by the Secretary of State's office before every
Casting Your Ballot
Voting at the Polls
You choose which way you want to vote: • Vote in person: Each voter is assigned a polling place. Find the location on the address label of the Sample Ballot that will be mailed to you or look it up at smartvoter. org. Your polling place is open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on election day. • Vote by mail: You need to ask for a “vote by mail” ballot in writing. Send in your application no later than Oct. 30. After you get your ballot, mark your votes, sign it, and mail it back in enough time to be received by Nov. 6. Or you can drop it off at your polling place on election day.
June Primary and November General Election. This also contains valuable information. Voters are urged to read the sample ballot and/or state ballot pamphlet carefully and become informed on each issue and candidate, marking their decisions on the sample ballot. Taking the sample ballot pamphlet into the voting booth on Election Day will save time. The location of the voter’s polling place can be found on the back cover of the sample ballot pamphlet. Voters arriving at the polling place announce their name and address to the poll worker, who establishes the voter is listed on the roster. The voter must then sign the roster before voting. If the voter is not listed on the roster, a check of the sam-
Once Registered to Vote In four to six weeks, the voter will receive a Voter Notification Card in the mail from the Elections Office confirming that the voter registration card is on file. It requests that the voter check the information to be sure that it is correct. Four to five weeks before the election, the Elections Office will send the voter a sample ballot pamphlet that will contain information about the candidates and ballot measures to vote on. The address of the polling place will be shown on the mailing label of the sample ballot pamphlet back cover. Also watch for the state ballot pamphlet
ple ballot will establish the correct polling place location if it is different. The poll worker can telephone the Elections Office to verify the voter's registration and polling place. Once the voter has signed the roster, the voter is ready to vote, marking the ballot with a blue or black pen. Vote only for one candidate in each office unless the instructions on the ballot say it is OK to vote for more. Also, vote Yes or No for each measure. Be sure to vote both sides of the ballot. Please note: The voter does not have to vote on every candidate or issue. If the voter does not know how to vote on a particular candidate or issue, it can be left blank. The ballot will still be counted. To vote for a qualified write-in candidate, the voter must write that person’s name in the blank space provided at the bottom of the appropriate office and fill in the bubble next to his or her name. The poll worker will have a list of qualified write-in candidates for the voter's reference. The voter may take the sample ballot and any other information that will help in making a decision while voting into the voting booth. If the voter feels the need for assistance, a person of the voter's choice may be with the voter while he or she votes. If the voter makes a mistake on the official ballot, it should be removed from the voting device and taken to the poll worker. She or he will put it into a special envelope marked "Spoiled" and will give the voter another ballot to vote. The voter should take extra time and mark it very carefully. Each voter may only have up to three ballots to correct mistakes. When the voter finishes voting, the ballot stub should be removed. Then, the voter inserts the voted ballot into the M-100. Some voters choose to use a secrecy sleeve to conceal the ballot until they slip it into the M-100. ◆
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MAYOR of turlock Brad Bates
Amy Bublak
Contact the candidate: brad@bradbatesforturlockmayoragain.com; cell: (209) 765-4005 (call or text) Our family is third and fourth generation “Turlockians.” After graduating from UC Davis, I moved back to Turlock and was a commercial insurance broker for 45 years, retiring fully this year. I served 6 years on the Planning Commission, the last 3 as chairman. At age 30, I was elected Mayor and served 2 terms (1982-1990). I was a Rotarian for many years and awarded Turlock’s Citizen of the Year in 1986. As a lifetime resident, a husband, a father, and a former Mayor, I have a genuine concern for our shared future. What do you believe are the top three issues affecting the city and how you would you address them? Public Safety / Police: A safe community is the most important function a city provides to its residents. Restoring the police department and supporting our Chief of Police is my number one issue in this campaign and will be my top priority if elected Mayor. Our police have not been a priority and have not received the support or funding to retain the officers and equipment needed to provide us with the level of protection we deserve. They are overworked and underpaid. The Chief has been faced with losing trained and qualified officers faster than we can hire, train and transition new hires to fully
Contact the candidate: abublak@yahoo.com or 209-346-9344 Amy Bublak, was first elected to the Turlock City Council in the fall of 2008 and is currently serving her third term as a member of City Council representing District 4. Her decision-making process is based on receiving input from City employees, Turlock residents, and her colleagues without a personal agenda other than to enhance the quality of life for all Turlock residents and employees. Amy insists on conducting all City business in a transparent manner allowing her Council colleagues, City employees, and City residents to understand how and why decisions are made, always in the best interests for the City of Turlock. As a retired law enforcement professional with over two decades of service she supports keeping Turlock residents safe by fully funding Public Safety dispatchers, fire fighters and police officers. Amy has lived in Turlock for over 30 years, earned B.S from CSU Stanislaus and a Masters of Public Administration degree from San Francisco State University. Amy is married to Dr. Milton Richards, retired Director of Athletics at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, British Columbia, CSU Stanislaus and Kansas State University.
deployed officers. Restoring police services is the first step towards addressing many of our other issues, including the criminal element of the complex homeless problem, and returning to more proactive community policing. Stability at City Hall: The last 3 ½ years have seen more instability and turnover of key management personnel than any other time in Turlock’s history. Morale is at an all-time low, and the reason for this is Mayor Soiseth’s leadership and management style. He has cost the City hundreds of thousands of dollars in unnecessary legal expenses because of a hostile work environment, bullying, and inappropriate involvement in personnel issues, all of which is documented in a lawsuit and numerous press articles. Our current mayor’s actions do not respect our strong City Manager form of government, and we have suffered for it. The mayor is one of five policy makers and should not control or micro-manage the operations of the City and its professional staff. As Mayor I will SEE
BATES,
What do you believe are the top three issues affecting the city and how you would you address them? .Road repair I will make it a priority to use Gen-
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eral Fund and other City revenues to begin repairing local roads rather than relying on State and County grants. We have not used General Fund dollars to fix local roads since the early 1980s. There are few things that local residents are more concerned about than our horrible local streets. I share your concern and have a plan to fix our local roads. A well-built road should last for 20 years or more, meaning that our rotten road conditions in Turlock didn’t happen overnight and we won't fix them overnight either. I plan to accelerate our local roads repair program because it’s a vital matter to our local economy. Good roads improve property values, reduce traffic congestion, attract business investment by better linking our business products to their markets and all produce economic growth that funds vital city services. While our current mayor tries to convince you that taxing Turlock residents more is the way to pay for road improvements. My plan doesn’t steal more of your hard-earned money. As Mayor, I will prioritize fixing our SEE
BUBLAK,
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MAYOR of turlock Jaime Franco
Gary Soiseth
Contact the candidate: 209-360-1899 Jaime Franco, the son of migrant farmers, has been a part of the Turlock community for over 40 years. He is a Turlock High grad and has a degree in political science from Stanislaus State. Franco currently works as an auto salesman. Franco has volunteered for a number of migrant education programs and as an interpreter for Catholic Charities, the California Highway Patrol and county courts. He is also a past president of the Latino Community Roundtable of Stanislaus County. What do you believe are the top three issues affecting the city and how you would you address them? Roads: We need to be creative. We can all work together to work on the roads because there’s no money in the budget. We could partner with some companies to get help with fixing the roads. We need to put our minds and hearts to do something good.
continued
Contact the candidate: info@soisethforturlock.com or 209.678.3545; Facebook: @ garysoiseth; Instagram: @garysoiseth; Twitter: @garysoiseth Gary Soiseth is a third-generation almond farmer and current Mayor of Turlock. Soiseth is focused on reliable roads, sustainable drinking water, and increased investment in public safety. As a former adjunct professor at Stanislaus State, Soiseth is committed to strengthening the relationship between the campus and city and donates his mayoral salary to student scholarships.
Homelessness: We need to be more sensitive. We could have events and raise money for whatever programs we can come up with. Turlock deserves better because this is a nice community to live in. We need to be more humane to one another. We waste so many resources here. There is so much richness in this town. Safety: There was a murder right in front of my house. Safety can’t be ignored. There’s got to be something to help the kids. Invest in education, rather than pay for jails. We need to help those who get out of prison to find jobs. ◆
ELECTION
Before his election, Soiseth was embedded with the U.S. military throughout Afghanistan for four years working on economic development. Soiseth also worked in the White House and the Association of California Water Agencies. Education: Georgetown University (MPP); UC Berkeley (BA); Turlock High School (Diploma). What do you believe are the top three issues affecting the city and how you would you address them? When I walk door-to-door, the top three issues I encounter are water, roads, and public safety. Regarding water: currently, Turlock is 100 percent dependent on groundwater, but 6 of our 24 wells are offline and all 4 potential new locations for wells were deemed unsuitable. We have to diversify our water sources, which is why I am supportive of the surface water 5
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plant that will allow us to draw water from the Tuolumne River. This investment will allow Turlock to have a reliable source of drinking water for over five decades and will maintain property values while also opening the door to new jobs. Regarding roads: I am supportive of Measure L, which is the 2016 half-cent sales tax that voters approved and will accumulate nearly $200 million for Turlock’s local and regional streets. I also believe it’s my role as mayor to limit General Fund spending on local roads and to instead fight for road funding in Sacramento and Washington, DC; my efforts have yielded high returns, most recently when I led the effort to secure nearly $6 million for the Fulkerth Road Highway 99 interchange, a project that will allow for the relocation of over 1,000 new jobs in Turlock’s industrial complex. Regarding public safety: police and fire require the vast majority of the General Fund budget, so it’s important to pursue new revenue sources and leverage Turlock’s financial reserves to pay down toxic SEE
SOISETH,
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city council - dist 1 Nicole Larson Contact the candidate: email: nicole@larsonforturlock.com website: larsonforturlock.com facebook: @larsonforturlock Nicole is a fifth generation Turlock resident. Her family ties date back to founding residents, dairymen, cattlemen, and small business owners in our historic downtown. She is currently a third year commissioner and vice-chair of the Parks, Arts, and Recreation Commission where she recommends action to City Council and works directly with city staff. Nicole served as the Executive Officer of a nonprofit organization, overseeing the budgeting and allocation of $1.2 million. She received her Bachelor’s Degree from Turlock’s Stanislaus State, graduating with honors. There, she served two consecutive terms as student body president while participating as a member of the women’s soccer team. What do you believe are the top three issues affecting the city and how you would you address them? Economic Prosperity: I plan to work to protect our agricultural-based economy and small businesses while fostering new investment. This specific council has a unique responsibility compared to past councils due to our rate of growth and pivotal point in our city’s narrative. This is why I believe strongly that our main objective is to preserve the values of our agricultural community, as well
as our high quality of life. This is achieved through strong city finances, controlled growth, and commitment to our community’s roots. I will advocate for new funding streams without weakly resorting to taxing our hardworking residents. We don’t need to reinvent the wheel, but should research what other cities with our similar make-up have done to solve issues at hand. With regard to our city’s growth, I will ensure we only allow projects that will benefit our local economy, community involvement, and our neighbors. I would also be committed to supporting our local businesses by bolstering existing businesses and staying true to our community’s roots in spite of national trends (i.e. super stores, e-commerce, outsourcing cheap labor). Public Safety: As a criminal justice graduate, and a former volunteer paralegal for the Stanislaus County District Attorney’s office, I have seen our city loose too many qualified potential public safety personnel who choose SEE
LARSON,
5TH GENERATION TURLOCK RESIDENT
VOTE
NICOLE
LARSON for Turlock City Council COMMITTED TO BUILDING A BETTER TURLOCK, THE COMMUNITY THAT BUILT ME
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LARSONFORTURLOCK
city council - District 1 Jon Boulos
Autumn Salazar
Contact the candidate: info@jbforturlock.com Born and raised in Turlock, Jonathan never stopped calling Turlock home. He moved away after graduating Turlock High and obtained a B.S. in Accounting, worked to a CPA license, found his wife Katharine, and began his career in accounting and finance. When his first daughter was born, Jonathan and Katharine knew that Turlock was the only option to raise their family. Turlock’s reputation as a haven for growing families, loving and engaged community, and history of safety attracted them as it attracts thousands. He is running for council to protect Turlock’s ability to continue attracting families.” What do you believe are the top three issues affecting the city and how you would you address them? Secure our Future: One of the most important factors for a city’s success is the composition of its population. Turlock has been fortunate to have a reputation of being a great place to raise a family. We can never take that for granted. As we enter a pivotal time in our city’s future, we need someone on council that can help guide growth policy with today’s families in mind. We cannot wait for it to become a problem because that catch-up time can be a massive strain on the city’s finances and markets. We need to be proactive in identifying council members who can help guide policy to be
continued
Contact the candidate: vote4autumn@gmail.com or www.vote4autumn.com I am a Central Valley native who is the wife of a volunteer firefighter and the mom to five children. I received my Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, Santa Cruz in Mathematics and Global Economics, spending a year abroad in Germany studying Economics. I have my Master’s degree in Public Administration from Stanislaus State. My 20-year career has afforded me the opportunity to influence policy governing higher education at the federal, state, and local levels; manage budgets totaling more than one-hundred million dollars; and to lead institutions through difficult restructure and change.
geared towards attracting and retaining that demographic. I would be the only member of council with that perspective. Fiscal Responsibility and Competency: My time working in various accounting and finance related positions has continually reinforced one thing: numbers can be powerful. Whether it was my time consulting companies on compliance with financial regulation, working as a CPA helping individuals and small businesses in Turlock, or running accounting departments for organizations as a financial controller, the financial information that I prepared greatly persuaded my audience. It is imperative that Turlock City Council has a financial expert that can distill the information and present the story in proper context to Turlockers so we can make the right decision from the start. I will be that council member. Restore Trust: Trust is not easily earned or repaired. Communication and honSEE
BOULOS,
What do you believe are the top three issues affecting the city and how you would you address them? Roads: As Turlock grows and traffic on our city streets increases, it is imperative that the poor condition of our roads be addressed with long term strategies. Poor road conditions impact property values, local businesses, and cause unnecessary wear and tear on vehicles. Simply patching the worst potholes is delaying the problem and ensuring that the repairs will come at a greater cost as the roads continue to degrade. These are real costs that not only impact residents but also directly impact the city budget either
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through lost tax revenue or higher than necessary expenditures. I would address the need to repair roads by reviewing the status and prioritization of projects identified for Measure L funds; reprioritize the city budget to focus on the roads, identifying what can be done now to most reduce future expenditures; and work to identify other funding sources that can either fund roads or fund other city projects thus freeing up funding for roads. Public Safety: As the wife of a volunteer firefighter with a large circle of family and friends who are first responders, this issue is a very personal one for me. We rely on our first responders for our safety. In return, it is the city’s duty to ensure that they are fairly compensated, have the equipment they need, and receive the support required to do their jobs. Without providing these things, we lose our first responders to other cities and counties who provide better support. When this happens, our communities lose the ability to develop the strong bonds built between residents SEE
SALAZAR,
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city council - District 1 Forrest J. White
What do you believe are the top three issues affecting the city and how you would you address them? Financial Stability Turlock’s finances are at a crossroads. We need to develop new income streams or we will be forced to make drastic cuts. These decisions will require decisive actions. The time for studying is over, concrete policies need to be enacted that will promote revenue and limit expenditures. None of this is easy, but I believe The Council is elected to make hard decisions that will make the city grow and prosper. Water The life blood of the valley and the
Contact the candidate: email: 2018Forrest@gmail.com; Facebook: 2018 forrest white; Instagram: 2018Forrest I have been a resident of the City of Turlock for over 35 years. Along with my wife, who was born and raised in this community, we have two children, three grandchildren and many longtime friends in the area. I have spent 35 years in public service including five years as a Turlock City Recreation Supervisor and 30 years as CEO of the San Joaquin County Fair. My primary duties as County Fair CEO in-
cluded budgeting, public relations and governmental advocacy where I worked closely with legislators and statewide boards.
Proven Leadership and Experience 4 years 3 years 28 years 2 years 5 years Forrest White For more information visit:
2018ForrestWhite.com
continued city requires a reliable source of water. Ground water is not enough, which is why the city entered into an agreement with T.I.D. to receive an allotment of surface water from the Tuolumne River. The project will be starting this year with the water inlet at Fox Grove. Completion is a few years away: therefore, conservation remains a high priority. But, I must remind everyone that the water fight will continue and the city will be in the middle of it. City Personnel The city continues to lose good employees for a variety of reasons which does not bode well for SEE
WHITE,
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RESIDENT
OF THE CITY OF TURLOCK FOR OVE R
35 YEARS
City of Turlock - Councilman Turlock Certified Farmers Market - Board Member San Joaquin County Fair - C.E.O. Mother Lode Fair, Sonora - C.E.O. City of Turlock - Recreation Supervisor
 FORREST WHITE
ELECT FOR TURLOCK CITY COUNCIL - District 1
ID#1407739
A VOTE FOR FORREST IS A VOTE FOR PUT TING COMMUNIT Y FIRST! ELECTION
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city council - District 3 Bill DeHart Jr. Contact the candidate: wwdehart@gmail.com or 209-417-7108 My wife and I were married August 29th, 1969, just before our senior years in college, and graduated in May 1970. I reported to active duty with the US Marine Corps in January 1971 and flew helicopters and was assigned as a parachutist at worldwide locations. We left active duty in 1978, and worked in the printing industry until we moved to Turlock in 2002. In 2008 I became the Director of Sales and Marketing at Covenant Village of Turlock,
What do you believe are the top three issues affecting the city and how you would you address them? Water: There are 2 major components which make this my #1 priority: the water we consume for personal use and the water after that fact which must be treated before we can release back into nature. Access to a sufficient supply of water for drinking, cooking, laundry, growing industrial requirements and multiple other uses is declinleaving in 2012. I currently have a ing in availability. The water drawn practice in Financial Services. I was from the Tuolumne River by the elected to the Council first in 2010 Stanislaus Regional Water Authority will augment the water we draw and re-elected in 2014.
Turlock faces many challenges today. I have the experience and commitment and a calm, confident approach to addressing them. I look forward to receiving your vote this November.
The safety and prosperity of Turlock are my priority
Bill DeHart Phone: (209) 668-5540 (209) 417-7108 E-mail: wwdehart@gmail.com
from our groundwater aquifer. Neither source on its’ own will supply Turlock’s growing needs. We must continue to pursue this option, groundbreaking has taken place and I fully support this effort. Secondly, the regulatory requirements for the treatment of posthuman-use and stormwater have driven our pursuit of the delivery of treated wastewater to the Delta Mendota Canal where downstream farmers can access it for agricultural purposes. Groundbreaking, later in September, with our Modesto partners will see the next crucial step in this process. I have routinely supported this critical program as SEE
DEHART,
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Bill DeHart Turlock City Council District 3
It’s bad policy to speculate on what you’ll do if a plan fails, when you’re trying to make a plan work. Condoleezza Rice, Diplomat And Political Scientist FPPC #1409692
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city council - District 3 Andrew Nosrati
What do you believe are the top three issues affecting the city and how you would you address them? Homelessness: It’s a complicated problem that cannot be solved with a single solution. As a city leader I would focus on ensuring the safety of our public is prioritized, that the individuals needing help are connected to the resources available to them, work with the County and State towards expanding support services for those that come under sudden financial hardship, and improving the opportunities of individuals that will afford them a high quality of life.
Contact the candidate: andrew@nosratiforturlock.com I was born and raised in Turlock to parents that have instilled within me my core values of compassion, gratitude, respect, hard work, and integrity. I graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara before spending time in Los Angeles and New York developing myself professionally. My day job is as the VP of Product Development, where I am responsible for building the technologies to help artists around the world succeed in the digital space. I’m home and eager
to use my experiences, knowledge and passion to give back to the community that made me who I am.
continued The homeless population has many types of members within it. For those that are suffering from mental health issues, and substance abuse our city must work with programs that foster strong relationship with individuals to build a trust that allows them to be connected with the resources available to them. Those in dire situations, like many within this community, cannot come out of this alone. Enabling our non-profit partnership, like the Turlock Gospel navigator program, to succeed is something I believe will have a measured impact at addressing this issue. Beyond those on the streets today, SEE
NOSRATI,
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District 10 Congressional Debate Congressional candidates
Jeff Denham and Josh Harder debate the issues Jeff Denham
WATCH
LIVE
Sept. 22, 2018 at 10 a.m. Live streamed at www.youtube.com/turlockjournal
For more information, call 209-634-9141 ELECTION
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Josh Harder
WATCH
LIVE
BATES
FROM PAGE 4
make sure City Hall is fully staffed with qualified professionals, and then step aside and let them do the job they were hired to do. Financial Accountability: I have attended every public budget workshop held this year. Our city is headed for serious financial difficulty because revenues are decreasing and spending is increasing. This is not a sustainable situation. I have the experience of having reviewed and adopted eight City of Turlock budgets when I was Mayor. You simply cannot ignore financial realities or “hope” things will get better. There have been strident cautions from the professional staff that the current budget, especially with the “augmentations” now being
considered, are simply not sustainable in the long term. The Mayor, from my observation, refuses to acknowledge this reality and continues to maintain that “everything is fine” and the money will come from “somewhere.” We face a very difficult financial situation that will require quick and painful action down the road. The City currently has no clear idea of where it actually is financially because of numbers that continually change regarding our financial position. Deficit spending has put our City on a path to bankruptcy unless something changes. I will propose a forensic financial audit by an independent auditor with a 3 year look back so that we know, definitively, where we stand financially in all sectors to ensure validated benchmarks as we move forward. ◆
ings of $600,000 per year in interest savings FROM PAGE 5 while also investing in two new fire engines, debt, thus allowing us new equipment for to re-invest in critical needs like more police police and fire, new police officer, firefighter, officers, firefighters, and dispatcher posiand dispatchers. Since tions, and over $1 milI was elected four years lion in police salaries ago, we’ve paid off $5.5 and benefits to retain million in high interest and attract more police officers. ◆ debt, leading to a sav-
SOISETH
BUBLAK
FROM PAGE 4
roads by doing the following: — I will propose reassigning Turlock's Transient Occupancy Tax - money collected from out of town hotel visitors, to local road repairs. — I will propose allocating all qualifying Federal Grant funds & Community Development Block Grant Funding to local road repairs. — I will propose a new utility mitigation program that requires local utility service providers to do more than just patch a small hole when they break into city streets. Those small holes ultimately turn into future potholes. — I will propose adding a road repair mitigation fee to all future City franchise agreements for utilities. — I will propose bonding up to $20 million dollars for road repairs to get ahead of the rate of our current decay rate that will ultimately be more expensive if left until later. — I will authorize city staff explore all methods of new technologies and cost savings in road repair. Water rates plan Stop the Mayor’s plan to raise water rates by ELECTION
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over 400 percent by halting construction on the “White Elephant” quarter billion-dollar water plant, and explore less costly options. Turlock is headed for financial disaster and we, the residents of Turlock, will be paying the bill in the form of devastating Water rates increasing by as much as 400 percent under our current Mayor. There is no question that Turlock needs a source of water during drought years - but there is no faster way to bankrupt a city than building a quarter of a BILLION-dollar capital water project that will never meet its goals because it sits idle for 6 months a year in good years and all year in drought years. Let me explain The proposed twentythousand-acre foot surface water treatment project has no upstream or downstream storage capacity, so water must be drawn from the Tuolumne River only as available and Turlock sits 4th in line as a stakeholder behind the State of California, the Turlock Irrigation District and the Modesto Irrigation District. In drought years, when river flows are low, there may be no water available to the facility. 2018
Yes, Turlock residents will still be paying up to $125/mo. for water that isn't being produced from a facility that falls behind fish & farmers in priority. Any additional State water grabs could close the water treatment plant permanently while we still foot the bill. Lodi just built a similar scale project for one fifth the cost. Mayor Soiseth, a Modesto Irrigation District employee, is pushing a project built beyond its needs & without reliable supply to put his name on project that offers no solution other than to bankrupt the City of Turlock and soak its municipal water customers. Enhance Public Safety and address the homeless issue. Providing Public Safety in the form of Police & Fire Services is one of the most basic and important functions of local government. As a retired Police officer and 3 term City Council member, I both understand and prioritize the safety of Turlock's residents above any other function at City Hall. In 2008, even while facing one of the most catastrophic economic collapses in American History, I helped push through a new public safety strategic plan
and City budget that added 20 new police officers along with 9 new firefighters in Turlock - all while balancing our budget and growing Turlock's budget reserves to 171/2 million dollars. Today, fiscal mismanagement, exorbitant attorney's fees and personnel vacancies created under current Mayor’s hostile work environment have dropped Turlock's Budget reserves to under 7.1 million dollars and driven our Public Safety departments to the brink of collapse. I'm here to say we must recruit more police officers and firefighters, as we did under my leadership in 2008, and we must pay them well enough to keep them so they can integrate themselves into our local community. This will only be possible by getting Turlock's budget back in line and growing our local economy. I was an original leader in developing the Turlock Regional Industrial Park west of Highway 99 and still believe in the vision that local business and manufacturing development in the TRIP is a vital key to funding our future Public Safety upgrades without adding additional tax burdens to Turlock residents. ◆
Turlock Unified school district #4 Eileen Hamilton I’ve lived in Turlock for a very long time, over 40 years, and my husband was professor and administrator at the University here in Turlock. Both of our daughters went to Turlock schools all the way through and are both also in education now. I was a stay at home mom, very active in the PTA and served as an instructional aide at Osborn Elementary before going back to school later on in life. I graduated and taught pregnant and parenting teens at Turlock High for 13 years. My husband had told me he thought I should serve on the school board, so after he passed away I ran for the board, was elected in 2007 and served for eight years. I currently serve on the Alumni Board at Stanislaus State, the Board of Trustees for UC Merced and on the Turlock Chamber of Commerce Board. What made you want to run for TUSD Board of Trustees? I feel it’s important to give back to the community and continue to be active, and this time around I knew that in our area the Board member was leaving. A couple of friends said, “Well, you have to run,” and I thought it would be good because
Mary Jackson I was born and raised in Turlock and graduated from Turlock High. I received a B.A. in Journalism and Political Science from the University of Missouri and did graduate work at Victoria University in Wellington, New Zealand. I have taught for 8 years, mostly at the high school and community college level. I have been active in the community for many years; for example, being on the Salvation Army Board, the Turlock Certified Farmers Market Board, and being involved with the Carnegie Arts Center, the We Care Homeless Shelter, and served on the Turlock City Council. Also, I have three children attending Turlock schools.
I know I have the knowledge of being on the Board for eight years. I know the routine and I know a lot of what is expected of you on the Board, so I thought it would be helpful for me to go back and do it again. What are some of the most pertinent issues facing TUSD right now? I understand negotiations are not going very well between the Board and the faculty, and I think that’s something that needs to be taken care of. It’s important for everyone to be working together and cooperatively for the good of the students, because that is why we are all here. To me, that’s the bottom line — making sure the students have the best education they can. ◆
What made you want to run to be on the TUSD Board of Trustees? I’ve been approached by several community members in my dis-
trict to run for the TUSD board, acknowledging my past experience and ability to work collaboratively to get things done. What are some of the most pertinent issues facing TUSD right now? I would like to see us revisit long-term plans and goals, which includes the budget, growth, using technology to our advantage. ◆
OCTOBER 11, 2018 www.209magazine.com/womensroundtable ELECTION
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Turlock Unified school district # 4 Susan Thomas I was raised in Modesto, and my husband and I and our two sons moved to Turlock in 1985. I belong to a family of teachers. My mother was a teacher for almost 40 years. My husband worked for the Turlock Unified School District before retiring, and our elder son and my niece are both teachers now. I have spent my career as an educator, and have been a teacher’s aide, a teacher, and an administrator. I’ve provided staff development for teachers, and I have coached other educational leaders. I worked for thirty-four years for the Merced County Office of Education in Early Childhood Special Education. In addition to education, I enjoy reading and belong to two book clubs and the Tuesday Reading Club here in Turlock. I also like to sew and have recently made some costumes for the Dutcher Middle School production of Beauty and the Beast and for TYPA. What made you want to run for TUSD Board of Trustees? I have a passion for education and a desire to serve my community. Being on the Board of Trustees would give me the opportunity to put my wealth of experience and skills to good use for our community. I am fully ready to take on this next responsibility.
Travis Walsh I’ve lived in Turlock for 12 years and have been teaching for 16. I’m currently teaching high school math at Waterford High, and ever since I was in high school myself I knew it was what I wanted to do. I have two kids in the TUSD system at Walnut Elementary in first and third grade, so I do have that vested interest in the district. What made you want to run for TUSD Board of Trustees? As I grew in my experience and passion for teaching, I didn’t want to leave the classroom but I wanted to be a part of some of the bigger discussions that go on in the district. Typically, people move on to administration roles in their careers, but I didn’t want to lose where my heart was, which is in the classroom, so I decided to take a big step and run for school board. I know firsthand what teachers are struggling with through policy, through curriculum, through man-
What are some of the most pertinent issues facing TUSD right now? The District and the teachers’ union (TTA) are currently at impasse in their negotiations. Finding a way to reach agreement and then working to heal the hard feelings that are created when there is a difficult negotiation is one highpriority issue. The teachers’ union has been speaking at the Board meetings to say that they feel unheard and unappreciated. Despite how the negotiations work out, the Board will need to find a way to rebuild positive relationships which will help the district as a whole. In addition, any School Board must always do their best to spend public money wisely. Costs are always on the rise and funding does not keep pace, which means hard decisions need to be made. This is an ongoing problem in education that the Board must always deal with. ◆
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dates, and I know the big decisions on top directly affect the magic that occurs in the classroom. I want to do my best to support the teachers teaching all of our kids. What are some of the most pertinent issues facing TUSD right now? I don’t have a platform of, “I’m going to change something.” I’m more on the platform that says I’m going to represent my area and make the best decision for our schools. ◆
Turlock Unified school district #6 Jeff Cortinas I moved to Turlock after graduating from high school in 1998. I lived here while I attended Modesto Junior College and the University of the Pacific in Stockton. For a brief while I moved to Modesto while my wife attended college as well. After finishing college, my wife and I decided to move back to Turlock because we both agreed it would be a great place to raise our family. This is where we bought our first home that we still reside in. My hobbies include movies with my family and spending time outdoors. My family and I do things such as shoot hoops, fishing, and going for walks in our neighborhood. For my occupation I am a professional licensed Civil and Structural Engineer in California. I currently manage a small startup engineering firm in Turlock. What made you want to run to be on the TUSD Board of Trustees? My wife has been teaching for TUSD for 8 years, and my kids also attend school in this district. Being so connected to TUSD, I am hoping to make a difference on behalf of students and teachers. I believe that this district can be the best, and I hope to contribute in bringing common sense solutions to our schools. What are some of the most pertinent issues facing TUSD right now? The biggest issue that I’m seeing
Keristofer Seryani I am originally from Iran of Armenian/Assyrian ethnicity and moved to the U.S. (Turlock) as a refugee at the age of 12. I graduated from Turlock High School and then went to Whittier College to earn a B.A. in economics and Political Science followed by an M.S. in Foreign Service from Georgetown University. I have spent the past 18 years working in the energy sector in corporate development, strategy, corporate finance and business development. I have a strong international experience having spent ten years overseas developing energy projects. I returned to Turlock in 2015 to take care of my elderly parents and re-establish roots in Turlock.
at this moment is the fact that our teachers have gone over a year without a contract, 442 days to be exact. Negotiations are currently at the state-appointed mediator stage. It concerns me that we may lose quality teachers to other districts who pay more competitively and/ or have better healthcare benefits. This is a distraction right now to our teachers who must put their energy and resources into negotiations when they can be preparing for classes and helping our students. This type of atmosphere creates uncertainty for some and I know we have lost some great teachers just because of this. There is much room for improvement, and I want to be sure that our district can attract and retain the best. Also, site safety is a big issue with me, specifically traffic before and after school. I see improvements in the schools around my district, but I feel as a civil engineer more can be done. I would like to explore this more and make all the schools in the district safe, not just the ones in my district. ◆ ELECTION
What made you want to run for TUSD Board of Trustees? I am a strong advocate of public education and believe every student should have an opportunity to reach his/her potential and be job ready and life ready. I am a product of TUSD and this is my way of giving back to my community. Lastly, I feel that the board could benefit from someone with my background and experience; I bring a different and diverse perspective
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to the school board discussions. What are some of the most pertinent issues facing TUSD right now? My first impression is that we can do better in creating opportunities for students who will become first generation college students; I think those kids often lead the path of least resistance and there aren’t enough programs to give them the support to reach their full potential. I’d also love to see a way of parity between schools, where parents aren’t fighting to enroll their kids at a certain school. We should be providing the same level of care and education at all of our schools. I also believe we have to do better in getting student literacy rates at grade level by the 3rd grade. ◆
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to start their careers in neighboring cities. Because of Turlock’s rate of growth, our public safety departments need to be evaluated to grow as well. This is a critical moment for city leadership to collaborate with Turlock Fire Department and Turlock Police Department to ensure adequate resources are provided. In some cases, we are still resembling recession level staffing in our public safety departments. The answer lies in the proactive budgeting and fiscal accountability that I will bring to the table. Turlock needs to have a proactive approach to ensure that our public safety needs are satisfied now and for years to come. We need to make sure that we attract and retain qualified personnel in our city, rather than losing
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ongoing stability. The Council must empower city management to
those candidates to surrounding areas. Infrastructure: Small and large businesses alike are looking to land in Turlock, as well as individuals looking for a safe place to raise a family. With this momentum, we need to have diligent and committed leadership to make sure we grow in a smart, safe, and productive manner while maintaining and repairing our current roads, structures, and water rights. It is no secret that we have an inequitable amount of road repairs and repavement across our city. Although I understand the legislative history as to why this occurs, our city can do better by exploring innovative funding opportunities without further financially burdening residents. As we grow, our city must take into account the impact that specific development would have on
surrounding roads and encourage that those roads are prioritized for city paid repairs. Having a family history of farmers and TID employees, I understand how precious our water is to our city and I will fight to protect it, conserve it, and encourage new ways of thinking about our water sources to avoid the measures of conservation we succumbed to during our last drought. I will advocate to our state legislature how vital our food production is to not only our state, but the entire nation. This is our leverage at the state and federal level, and we need local leaders that can educate our higher legislators; for me - it’s personal. I know that I have the dedication, energy, and forward thinking perspective that our city needs right now, as we work toward a prosperous future for our city. ◆
deal with employee issues without getting involved. The council’s job is to set a direction, establish good policy, adopt a balanced budget and then
avoid micro-managing. Management’s jobs is to then implement policy and lead city employees forward within the adopted budget. ◆
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esty are key if trust is ever to return. Unfortunately, too many Turlockers don’t have faith that the decisions made by council are made with their best interests in mind. My time on council will focus on creating forums for two-way dialogues with the community. Council can no longer
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and first responders through long-standing relationships and neighborhood involvement. The first step in addressing this issue is having open, candid conversations with police, fire and support personnel about their needs. Then, working with their leadership to prioritize the needs identified. If there are not sufficient funds in the city budget to adequately address the support needed, additional funding should be sought by the city from grant programs that fund support for first-responders. This funding can be used to provide needed equipment, salary for 15
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depend on Turlockers coming to City Hall for regular or special meetings. When an especially important topic is slated for discussion, we need to determine if there is a venue that is more likely to attract people with salient feedback on the topic, and be more cavalier about pursuing a meeting in that more proper venue. In addition, a standard rotation of meeting venues that
brings the cities to under-engaged communities will send a powerful message that Turlock is for all of its citizens. When we restore trust, we will increase community engagement and involvement which in turn boosts investment into Turlock’s future. That is the proper orientation we should strive for as a council. Empowering Turlockers to invest in their community. ◆
additional fireman or police officers, or for support personnel. Leveraging this type of funding to supplement the budget allows the city to maximize the funding available. Transparency and Accountability: One of the many things that makes Turlock such a wonderful city is its diversity. Running a city this diverse means making decisions that will not be agreed to by everyone. A willingness to be transparent about why a decision was made, how priorities were set, and to have the hard conversations that will result from this type of transparency are a must. Without leaders holding themselves accountable to the
residents they represent, there can be no trust that the decisions being made by the elected officials truly are in the interest of the public. As the council person for my district, I will make myself available to residents regularly in person, online, and via phone. More broadly, the council should not only post their minutes to the website but keep up to date a list of active projects and initiatives including why they were chosen. Not every citizen can find the time or has the means to attend a council meeting, so it is our duty to reach them in ways that they feel keeps them informed about what is going on in city hall. ◆
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well and will continue to do so. Public safety: The continuous recruitment, training, equipping, compensation and retention of our public safety personnel have always been my priority. Steps which need to be refined in my view are realistic expectations set entering into negotiations, understanding the needs and desires of the City and its’ bargaining units while balanced against monetary and fiscal constraints. Our processes need to be re-addressed and validated. I am committed to this process and see this priority as extremely important to the success and health of our City and our employees going forward. Repair of our streets and roads. By human nature, most people do not like taxes of any sort unless they have voluntarily agreed to their levy. I am no different. Municipalities within Stanislaus County currently have two relatively new sources of revenue to address the repair or replacement of our streets
and roads, Measure “L” funds and those funds provided via SB 1. On the one hand, voters passed Measure “L”, and funds have accumulated to the point where projects have begun. On the other, voters have elected individuals whose legislative preferences have created the SB 1 tax. Turlock does not have failing bridges, however, many municipalities within our state do. Both taxes have provided funding mechanisms to accomplish the desired results of repair, replacement and/or maintenance. With the combination of both revenue streams, this will happen more rapidly. Diligent monitoring is a component that must be utilized to maximum benefit. Further, I believe that the rapidly changing PCI of our streets and roads requires more frequent evaluation of the existing schedule. I support our current listing of priorities and solutions as established. Should SB 1 be repealed, our priorities and timelines will be changed and extended. Greater diligence and oversight will be required and I will support either eventuality. ◆
must work with the surrounding communities to FROM PAGE 10 be part of the solution. Economic Development: we must work on preventAgriculture is the bread ing others from entering and butter of our town. those circumstances in the Nearly all of the greatest near future. The unfortubusiness success stories nate truth is that so many members of our community of Turlock, and the surare dangerously close to be- rounding cities are based in ing out on the street. A loss agriculture. While I am not of a job, or sudden increase proposing that we change in expenses for some means the circumstances that have an inability to keep up with provided our agriculture economy to thrive, I do rent. As a city, we must do believe it is of the utmost more to ensure that those importance for Turlock that experience sudden to diversify its economy. financial hardships have When we are so dependent a safety net to catch them on agriculture to fuel our and allow them the ability economy, we are in danger to rebound and stabilize of experiencing incredible their lives. hardships from unforeseen It is far cheaper, more and uncontrollable environcompassionate, and in the best interest of our commu- mental variables. We must do everything we can to nity, to invest in preventamake Turlock more desirtive measures rather than spending on costly recovery able for new investments in new economies. efforts after the damage has been done. This means Additionally, there are vacancies in our existexpanded access to transiing workforce that are tional housing and support not being filled locally. I services. The county has believe it’s imperative that been aggressively workwe highlight and promote ing through initiatives to existing programs, as well identify and address some of the root causes of home- as develop more opporless that our City leadership tunities for vocational/ trade skill career paths. A have largely been absent from. We cannot address “traditional” path of 4-year this problem alone, and college degree, masters, etc.
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does not work for everyone, and should not be the only option for people to have a high quality of life. We have jobs in our city that many companies are unable to fill locally. I believe we should be working with our private sector to identify the shortcomings of the skills available to them, and look towards creating the training and mentorship programs needed by both our employers and our community. Fiscal Responsibility: It’s no secret that we are spending beyond our means. Our city must find new revenue opportunities as well as decrease its expenses in the next two years, for our city not to be in danger of having to experience a significant change to our quality of life. This means working outside the box to find creative solution. The first instinct of many to solve a problem is to throw money at it, but we do not have that money to spend. We should perform extensive review on our processes as they are currently, looking for ways to deliver services that are more efficiently using our taxpayer dollars. ◆