Supervisors help keep the lights on in Keyes

Stanislaus County supervisors took the high road this week. They voted to spend $42,000 to keep the streetlights on in Keyes for the next 18 months. That is the responsibility of the Keyes Community Services District, but it is so deep in the red that there was a real risk that the community could go dark.

Supervisor Vito Chiesa, whose district includes Keyes, has been trying to help the services district get its act together. He successfully persuaded his fellow supervisors to OK this bailout. Supervisor Jim DeMartini emphasized that it isn't a loan but a gift, but he joined the unanimous vote anyway, only because the true recipients are the residents of Keyes, not the five directors of the community services district that have handled this situation so poorly.

The problem dates to a 2008 election to raise assessments for lighting. Officials believed the measure passed when it had not achieved the necessary two- thirds approval. They started sending out higher bills, only to realize the mistake. Then the district directors ducked, dodged and delayed instead of immediately going back to people of Keyes with an admission of their mistake and the good arguments for the higher fees. They have subsequently apologized.

With this gift from the county, the community services district has 18 months to get an engineer's report and to set up another election. Supervisors warned that there will not be another such gift -- and there shouldn't be.

Special districts are independent entities. They don't take orders from the county, but they also shouldn't expect to be bailed out of their mistakes.

We're confident that Keyes residents appreciate the security provided by streetlights and will agree to an assessment of maybe $50 per year. Installing individual dusk-to-dawn lights could cost residents anywhere from $12 to $25 per month. Meanwhile, Keyes residents should be saying "thanks" to the county.