Page 3 - Sanger Herald 7-19-18 E-edition

SANGER HERALD 3A THURSDAY, JULY 19, 2018 EDITORIAL & OPINION
Random thoughts The city council will consider suggestions for a response to the grand jury ...
By Dick Sheppard
Congratulations and wel- come to Apache Country
to Ramona Llamas and husband Manuel Prieto, the soon to be new owners of Sequoia Chevrolet Buick GMC.
Best wishes to the soon
to be former owners Marty and Chad Dority who in 2008 took over the business their dad, Lee Dority, started in 1982.
"Soon to be" because, while the deal is sup- posed to close today, both Marty and Manuel cautioned that the final agreement has to be approved by GMC. That shouldn't be a prob- lem because Manuel and Ramona already own a couple of successful dealerships and Manuel is a past president of the Fresno/ Clovis New Car Dealers Association.
"It feels like homecoming," said Ramona, who was raised in Fowler. "We used to attend St. Mary's Catholic Church in Sanger and we know a lot of people here."
•••
I know everyone can't escape from the
heat and bad air. But if you can, you should. Smoke and soot drifting into the Valley from the Ferguson Fire in the Merced River Canyon are adding to our usual sizzling sum-
mermiseries. Thebadairandtheheatwill continue to be gosh awful ugly for at least another week. Take care. Breathe shallow.
•••
Watching Sanger city government in
action seems a lot like watching the movie “Groundhog Day” about a man who keeps reliving the same day over and over again.
A couple of things that seem to be mostly responsible for that kind of repetitive behav- ior are: 1. very little information is apparent- ly passed on from one administration, com- mittee or commission to the next; and 2. more often than not, people elected to serve on
the council and appointed to committees and commissions have seldom or ever attended a meeting until they are sworn in and seated.
For instance, the current planning com- mission has been talking about issues that were resolved years ago by previous com- missions and the Measure S oversight com- mittee recently went through something similar when a contentious line item supple- ment versus supplant controversy could have been ended much sooner if resolution 4122, adopted in 2009, hadn't apparently been out of sight and out of mind for almost a decade.
For some reason, summaries of those ear- lier discussions and resolutions have not been passed on from one administration, com-
I want my country back
Iam73yearsold. Ihavelivedinmybirth state my entire life (California), though I havetraveledtomanyotherstates. Ihave this great sorrow that has been growing in mysoulforthelasttwoyears. Iwantmy country back. It appears to have been kid- napped by people who are entirely consumed by hatred of anything resembling what I (and I still believe, most of the population of the United States) grew up believing to be American principles and ethics.
Although my country has many flaws and inconsistencies it has been one that could be loved for its efforts to be the best and bright- est and had a goal of equality for all, dignity for all, and a life for its citizens that was free from poverty, free from discrimination, free for its children to grow up and pursue those same goals for their children.
Yes, there has been poverty, but I do not believe it was so widespread or as deep as it isnow. Yes,therehasalwaysbeendiscrimi-
Established 1889 • Published every Thursday 740 N Sanger, CA 93657 • (559) 875-2511
Fred Hall, publisher Dick Sheppard, editor
Lifestyles editor: Mike Nemeth
Sports editor: Mike Nemeth
Front office: Sharon Mendoza, classified ads
Display Advertising: Paulette Garcia
Composition: Susie House
Press Room: Tom Flores, Phillip Marquez, Ricardo Fernan- dez and Geno Bravo
Mail Room: Anthony Dimmick, Sally Ramirez, Matt Gar- cia and Lorena Neri
Dick Sheppard
mittee or commission to the next. Without training or a tutorial, each new generation of council, committee and commission winds up having to take several steps backward before taking its first step forward.
It seems like it would be worthwhile to do what the most recent grand jury report rec- ommends and make sure to properly archive documents relating to actions and decisions and then find a way to make that material available to new council, committee and com- mission members.
The tutorial, in my opinion, should include all four grand jury reports.
Maybe then, Sanger’s leaders would begin to learn from city hall’s interesting and some- times chaotic history and maybe then they would stop repeating it over and over and maybe then we wouldn’t have a grand jury investigation every couple of years.
Maybe.
I doubt there is much that can or should be done about electing or appointing people who have never attended a meeting of the council, committee or commission upon which they will serve. They should be offered congratu- lations - or condolences - for their willingness to get involved.
But, there are a few things that can and should be done to help bring them up to speed on the issues they’ll be dealing with.
It’sprobablyunrealistictobelievetransi- tions between city hall administrations in Sanger will ever be as smooth and seamless as transitions from one Sanger Unified school district administration to the next.
Here in Sanger there is a rich tradition of each new city hall administration getting rid of key people in the previous administration and then blaming those key people for every- thing from broken sidewalks to a deteriorat- ing waste water treatment plant to potholes to rising gas prices and whatever world prob- lem is getting the most attention on social media. That’s not likely going to change.
But maybe every level of city government could do a better job of archiving, retrieving and sharing information that would enable each council, commission and committee to hit the ground running, not having to go back to square one and starting over.
Maybe our very well-compensated city manager Tim Chapa could spend a little more time on the job and make sure proper training is provided for each new council, commission and committee member, training that includes a review of whatever historical information is relevant to issues being con- sidered - and training about how to look up
in the archives additional information when new issues arise.
nation and unfairness, but not as rabid as it is today. Yes, there has always been dislike and hatred for those who are different from what is considered the norm. But, my country tried to change those things with government programs that would be a safety net for those who needed them. My country believed in the common good and in the community spirit of helping to protect those who were in need of sheltering. My country believed in respecting its people, its natural resources, itsfriendsandneighbors,aswellasitself. As it is, it seems as though most of us are now living lives of quiet desperation and wonder- ing, “What next?”
I want my country back but I do not know how to grapple it away from the individuals whoarenowholdingitcaptive. Itfeelsas though the vitality of this country is slowly being drained into someone’s demented and horrific nightmare of a world order I do not savor or believe to be healthy for anyone.
Does anyone have an antidote for the sick- ness that has gripped my country? I will cast my ballot and make my voice heard in all
the future chances I have. I will continue to believe in the principles our founding fathers putforth. But,inthemeantimeIwillgrieve for the country I have always loved. I will continue to hope for a better tomorrow. And, I will continue to ask: How is it that it has come to this moment in time that is so pain- ful?
Sandi Gumber-Bach
An award winning 2018 member of the California Newspaper Publishers Association
The Sanger Herald is owned and published by Mid Valley Publishing, Inc, 740 N, Sanger, CA 93657 It is an Adjudicated Legal Newspaper
General Circulation in Fresno County, Order No 85500, Dec 1951 Sanger Herald subscriptions are taken by mail in advance
•••
It's likely a few past and present mem-
bers of the Measure S Citizens Oversight Committee may have a contrary opinion about some of the proposed responses to the most recent grand jury report the city coun- cil will consider this evening. (See the story on page 1A.)
The suggested response to grand jury "Finding 3" is likely to quickly shift the dis- cussion into high gear.
"Finding 3. The Citizen's Oversight Committee has been bypassed in its review of proposed Measure S spending including 2017's across-the-board pay increase for pub- lic safety employees. " (Underline added by the Herald)
The proposed staff response disagrees with the part of the finding that is underlined, as though that's all the finding was about.
The suggested response mentioned a dis- cussion of the across-the-board pay increase at the oversight meeting on Feb. 7, 2017. But it doesn't mention that at that same meeting chairperson Jeanne Adams said, "I want to draw the committee's attention to the fact
that we are being asked to affirm public safe- ty equipment purchases that have already been approved by the city council. Our deci- sions to affirm or not will have no standing. They will not go to the city council. They will not go anywhere." Adams was talking about the more than $20,000 for the fire depart- ment and more than $500,000 for the police department that Chapa had taken directly to the council for approval without letting the oversight committee first vet the purchases.
The committee eventually "affirmed" the council's decision to spend money on a gur- ney for the fire department and new cars for the police department, "To show our support for the police and fire departments," said Adams.
"Besides the council has already approved the expenditures."
•••
"We have met the enemy and he is us."
- Pogo
Comments, complaints and suggestions may be emailed to sangerherald@gmail.com or may be made by calling 875-2511.
In my OPINION
Mourning the death of Common Sense
By Fred Hall
“Today we mourn the
passing of a beloved old
friend, Common Sense, who
has been with us for many
years. Nooneknewfor
sure how old he was, since
his birth records were long
ago lost in bureaucratic red
tape. Hewillberemem-
bered for having cultivated such valuable lessons as knowing when to come in out of the rain; why the early bird gets the worm; life isn't always fair; and maybe it was my fault.
"Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you earn) and reliable strategies (adults and not children are in charge).
"His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing regu- lations were set in place. Reports of a 6-year old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly stu- dent only worsened his condition.
"Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining theirunrulychildren. Itdeclinedevenfurther when schools were required to get parental consent to administer sun lotion or an aspi- rin to a student but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.
"Common Sense lost the will to live as churches became businesses and criminals received better treatment than their victims.
"Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar could sue you for assault.
"Common Sense finally gave up the will
to live after a woman failed to realize that a steamingcupofcoffeewashot. Shespilleda little in her lap and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.
"Common Sense was preceded in death by his parents, Truth and Trust; by his wife, Discretion; by his daughter, Responsibility; and by his son, Reason.
"He is survived by his five stepbrothers; I know My Rights; I Want It Now; Someone Else is To Blame; I'm a Victim: and Pay me for Doing Nothing.”
The preceding is something for which I wishIcouldtakecredit,butcannot. The only source of attribution is that it reportedly appeared in The London Times.
It's difficult to believe any such conserva- tive thought could have come from England with prevailing liberal thought which is
SANGER HERALD(USPS 418- 340) is published weekly every Thursday for $25 per year for Fresno County residents and $29.50 per year for residents outside the county and $3150 per year for residents outside the state, non cancelable Periodicals postage paid at Sanger, CA and at additional mailing of ces
Postmaster: Send address changes to the Sanger Herald, 740 N, Sanger, CA 93657
FredHall
applied to everything in that country.
In California we continue to vote to allow
the state to take even more of the money for which we work so hard or we elect people to represent us who vote to tax us more anyway. Common Sense?
Our elected officials push measures
which will help empty our jails but place the criminalsonthestreetamongus. Things that were once crimes have been declared non-crimes and our officials proudly point out that crime is down. That which was once a felony is now a simple misdemeanor. No wonder we get results like this when we allow government to make the rules and keep score.
The new wave of socialist democrat think- ing which so permeates California politics and the newest iteration of Democrat party thinking is filled with happy thoughts and wishful thinking but is sorely short on good old fashioned common sense. It's as if an entire segment of our population has lost touch with reality. There is a criminal ele- ment among us and no amount of outreach is going to mellow them—they belong in jail!
No California family should ever be put at risk because of attempts to socially engineer the populace.
One can rest assured the primary rea-
son for Sacramento to want fewer of these miscreants jailed is because the state saves money for other pet projects by turning them loose.
The cost of supporting this criminal ele- ment is transferred from the politicians to the citizens of the state who must endure
the violent acts perpetrated by this “special class” of California outlaws. Common Sense?
But, as always, that's only one man's opin- ion.
In addition to the Sanger Herald, Publisher Fred Hall oversees two other Mid Valley Publishing newspapers - Reedley Exponent, and Dinuba Sentinel. He can be contacted by phone at (559) 638-2244 or by email at fred@ midvalleypublishing.com.
Letters to the editor policy
The Sanger Herald appreciates letters
to the editor and encourages readers to participate in this public forum E-mail to sanger- herald@gmailcom Provide your name and tele- phone number The telephone number will not be published
No handwritten letters, please
Letters under300wordsandlettersfromwrit- ers who have not been recently published will be given preference
Letters may be edited for length, grammar and clarity
Letters that are libelous will not be printed