Lumber manager is tapped to join Gustine council

GUSTINE -- This city got a new councilman, initiated an annexation and tweaked language on a brochure on the half-cent sales tax increase going before voters in November.

Patrick Nagy will serve the remaining 15 months in a seat vacated by former Councilman Frank Amaral, who moved to Turlock a few weeks ago.

Nagy, 52, is general manager of Denair Lumber Co. He has served on the Gustine Traffic Safety and Newman Fall Festival committees, and was vice president of Gustine High School Athletic Boosters and a past governor of the Newman Moose Lodge.

The City Council chose Nagy on Tuesday over four other applicants. Two were absent from Tuesday's meeting and another requested to be removed from consideration.

Voters will decide Nov. 3 whether to raise their sales tax by a half-percent to keep police and fire services at current levels, as well as to protect the city's swimming pool and parks from less-frequent maintenance. An informational brochure will be mailed with September and October water bills, saving nearly $8,000 in mailing costs.

Officials reported losing 26 percent of their general fund budget this year, with a deficit of about $400,000, but delayed adopting an official spending plan until next month.

Council members also started the process for drawing all of Gustine High School and some land north of town along Highway 33 within the city limit. The 26-acre request will be subject to review by a panel composed of representatives from Merced County and other cities in the county.

Having heard that a property owner southeast of town was planning a housing development without annexing, the council was poised to fire off an angry letter to the county's Planning Department, demanding communication and a say in the project. Council members decided against sending it, however, after the county assured a city planner that Gustine would not be left in the dark.