Mid Valley Times 3-5-20 E-edition

Thursday, March 5, 2020
Vol. 1, No. 36
Recipients at Feb. 29 Chamber dinner include Citizen of Year Ken Baker
By Jon Earnest
Mid Valley Times
Two of Reedley's most prominent business leaders and the architect of the city's emergency shelter for mis- placed families were the principal names out of 10 honorees at the Great- er Reedley Chamber of Commerce's annual Business & Community Awards Gala on Feb. 29.
A sellout audience of 300 people at- tended and paid tribute to the 2020 Reed- ley Hall of Fame recipients — Greg and Karen Musson of GAR Bennett — along with Ken Baker, this year's Citizen of the Year. The 2020 Gala had the theme "Take Flight in Reedley" in recognition of the city's involvement in the nationally- recognized electric plane and new pilot training program in the city.
"Thank you so, so much for recogniz- ing us. It truly is an honor to be recog- nized by your hometown," said Karen Musson, managing partner for the
Jon Earnest / Mid Valley Times
Karen Musson, right, waved to well-wishers while standing for photos with her husband Greg Musson, left, and Greater Reedley Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Erik Va- lencia when the Mussons were inducted into the Reedley Hall of Fame on Feb. 29.
By Rick Curiel
Mid Valley Times
A contentious city ordi- nance made it back to the Sanger city council after it failed to gain enough support late last year. The ordinance, which would allow city de- partment managers greater flexibility when awarding contracts, was brought back to the council at the Feb. 20 meeting.
Making it back to the city council as the second ordinance in the books this year, Ordinance 2020-02 will amend Sanger’s city code to allow purchases by de- partment heads to go from $2,000 to $5,000. Purchases in excess of $5,000 and up to $8,000 would require verbal
My biggest issue with this ordinance is that it's so much money for just a verbal quote ... Have the city come back
and require a written quote for everything.
City Manager Tim Chapa stated at the time that the ordinance would be brought back to the council at a later time.
One concern brought up at the meeting was that of receiving verbal quotes as opposed to written ones.
“How hard is it to actually get a written quote for some- thing?” asked Sanger citizen and city of Sanger Planning Commission Vice Chair Vin- cent Wall. “My biggest issue with this ordinance is that it’s so much money for just a verbal quote ... Have the city come back and require a written quote for every- thing.”
SeeCOUNCILonpage A6
71-year-old ag services business (long known as Gar Tootelian, Inc.) that recent- ly merged with Bennett Water Systems of Lemoore. The Reedley native has had a momentous 2020, having recently been
recognized as the latest recipient of the prestigious Leon S. Peters Award.
"What always comes to mind to me
See GALA on page A11
A Dinuba citizen entered a poll- ing station at Dinuba Christian Church on the morning of March 3. California's presiden- trial primary elections were held on March 3, also known as ‘Super Tuesday’, giving voters the opportunity to vote on a presidential nominee (for those registered to their party) and, in Tulare County, Congressional representative, California State Assemblymember and Proposi- tion 13. In Fresno County, the computer system crashed and delayed live voting for about three hours. The problem reportedly was resolved by midday.
Rick Curiel / Mid Valley Times
50 cents
Reedley
use tax
measure
passing
Parlier school bond measure also winning, Cutler-Orosi and OC measures are trailing
MVT Staff Report
Reedley's sales use tax measure and Parlier's bond measure appeared headed to a solid victories on Election Night, but measures involving Cutler-Orosi and Orange Cove both looked to be going down to defeat.
Measure B — Reedley's measure which would add a three-quarters cent sales and use tax if passed — was being approved by 63 percent of voters (1,547 "yes" compared to 907 opposed) as of Fresno County Elections Office fig- ures at 10 p.m. reports on March 3. The tax needs only 50 percent plus one vote to pass, so barring a sharp re- versal in voting trends the measure will pass.
In Parlier, a general obliga- tion bond to update and build school facilities was passing by a 62 to 38 percent margin (493 to 307) through the vote count as of 10:40 p.m. A 55 percent approval level was needed for passage of Mea- sure D.
The picture was much bleaker for Cutler-Orosi and Orange Cove measures. Mea- sure K — which needs two- thirds yes votes for approval — wasn't even receiving a ma- jority of the votes as of 10:40 p.m. The measure was trailing with just 44 percent voting "yes" (294 combined in Tulare and Fresno counties), and was getting trampled in Fresno County as only 16 percent of 96 voters approved.
Orange Cove voters were favoring Measure G — a par- celtax—bya62to38per- cent margin (269 to 168) as of 10:40 p.m., but needed 66.7 percent to have the measure approved.
Complete vote totals for these races will run in the March 12 issue of The Times.
Primary decision day
Reedley honors its finest
Sanger council amends purchasing power
quotes under the proposed or- dinance and purchases over $8,000, but not more than $29,500 would require quotes in writing.
Any purchase over $29,500 would require council ap- proval, up from the previous limit of $15,000.
The ordinance, according to city of Sanger Administra- tive Services Director Bret Harmon, adjusts for inflation while allowing the city to be more competitive in obtain- ing contracts.
- Vincent Wall Sanger Citizen, vice chair on Sanger Planning Commission
When the ordinance was voted on late last year, it re- ceived the majority of the council votes, with council members Humberto Garza and Esmeralda Hurtado vot- ing in favor of the ordinance and councilman Eli Onti- veros voting against it, the ordinance failed to pass be- cause it required a minimum of three votes in favor.
Mayor Frank Gonzalez and Mayor Pro Tem Daniel Martinez were both absent for the initial vote and Sanger
Remember to set your clocks ahead one hour on Sunday, March 8.
Classifieds - B3-4
Directory - B5 Legals - B6-9 Sports - B1-2, B12 Lifestyle - A7-9
Lights & Sirens - A3 Obituaries - A2-3 Opinion - A4