Byrd, Blom get Modesto Irrigation District spots

Newcomers Larry Byrd and Nick C. Blom won seats on the Modesto Irrigation District board Tuesday night, while Michael Frantz kept his seat in the Turlock Irrigation District.

Blom defeated longtime MID incumbent John Kidd in Division 5, which includes west Modesto and farmland to the west. The challenger had 966 votes, or 56 percent, to Kidd's 752 votes, or 43.6 percent, with all precincts reporting.

Byrd beat John Duarte in a race to succeed retiring incumbent Cecil Hensley in Division 1, which stretches from east Modesto to the La Grange area. Byrd had 2,374 votes, or 58.1 percent, with all precincts reporting.

Duarte had 1,705 votes, or 41.7 percent.

Frantz had 2,651 votes, or 74.2 percent, with three-quarters of the precincts counted. Challenger Chris Barth got 906 votes, or 25.3 percent. They vied in the TID's Division 1, which takes in Hickman, Hughson, Denair and the east side of Turlock.

Incumbent Rob Santos was unopposed in the TID's Division 4.

Byrd is a retired MID employee who raises beef cattle and almonds near Waterford. He campaigned on a pledge to oppose electricity rate hikes and a proposed water sale to San Francisco.

"I think people want somebody who's a blue-collar and rank-and-file guy who has calluses on his hands and cares about his community," Byrd said.

Duarte, president of

Duarte Nursery near Hughson, opposes the water sale and pledged to streamline the MID to reflect its reduced power demand.

Blom, an almond grower and son of former Stanislaus County Supervisor Nick W. Blom, had lost to Kidd in 2003.

"I think (voters) are ready for someone to fight to keep the rates from going up," Blom said. He added that he would consider outside water sales only if they did not harm the MID's farmers or the city of Modesto.

Kidd, a walnut grower, had served on the board for 36 of the past 40 years.

Frantz is co-owner of Frantz Wholesale Nursery in Hickman. He won a full four-year term two years after being appointed to a vacant seat.

"I'm delighted to receive the support that I have," Frantz said. "It makes me feel that my efforts and contributions there have been well-received."

He and Barth said they would look closely at TID costs and protect its water supply.

Bee staff writer John Holland can be reached at jholland@modbee.com or (209) 578-2385.