HUGHSON -- It's summertime in a midterm year, but campaign season is gearing up in Stanislaus County's smallest city. Signs have sprouted up around town, committees are gathering to plan and candidates are going door to door ahead of the Aug. 24 election that will ask residents if the majority of the City Council should be removed and if so, who should take the seats. Jeramy Young canvasses neighborhoods and talks to voters."People have been very supportive," said Young, who seeks the seat held by Doug Humphreys. "A lot of the people are fed up with the way local politics are going.The recall targeted Humphreys and Councilmen Thom Crowder and Ben Manley after a Stanislaus County civil grand jury report in December found the three had broken state open government law by conspiring to fire then-City Manager Joe Donabed. The grand jury further found that Crowder tried to use his elected position to secure a job with a competing company that had considered buying Hughson Ambulance, which he owns.
One of the first goals is education; the candidates said they've heard from some people who aren't familiar with the upheaval in the city. Others said they thought if enough people signed the recall petition the councilmen would lose their seats. The petition only got the matter before voters. The largest signs in town promote the recall itself; others advocate specific candidates. None of them represent the incumbents. Humphreys refused to comment; Manley said he hadn't decided what, if anything, he would do to fight the recall. "If I do something, it'll be in the next week or so," he said. Crowder said he's done. He's not fighting the recall, and if he makes it through the August election, he won't run to keep his seat in November, when his term concludes. "Let them do what they want. I leave with my head held high," said Crowder, who claims the grand jury targeted the three councilmen and ignored bigger problems at City Hall. "I feel good about what I've done. But I'm through. This whole process has left a horrible taste in my mouth."
But first, Crowder said, he has one more task to complete: helping hire a city manager. The council started interviewing candidates earlier this month; he, Manley and Humphreys voted to continue the plan to get somebody on board by the middle of August. Mayor Ramon Bawanan and Councilman Matt Beekman wanted to wait. Crowder said the job of finding a city manager is too important to leave to what could be a brand-new council; the terms of Beekman and Bawanan also end in November. "You'd have people with absolutely no or zero experience, who have never worked with city managers in the past," he said. "I think we're more qualified as a city council to make that decision." On Monday's agenda, Bawanan wants the council to consider appointing a committee of residents to interview the job candidates. Crowder is against it. "I don't think that's within the mayor's purview," Crowder said. "I don't think that's appropriate at all."
-----------
Don Quixote Note: Hughson is next to a Sister City of Vernon's; Modesto.
Incorporated: December 9th, 1972
Population: 6,127
Elevation: 122 ft.
Area: 1.65 square miles
Hughson is the smallest incorporated city in Stanislaus County, but has grown from a population of 3,259 in 1990 to 4,920 for 2002. Hughson is situated to the East of Ceres, to the North of Turlock, and to the Southeast of Modesto. Hughson is also home to the annual Hughson Fruit and Nut Festival.
1 comment:
There are few lessons and ideas here for the Foster Recall in Vernon, starting in November.
Post a Comment