Boren: Clovis mayor sees no end to his political road

By By Jim Boren

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All you need to know about Clovis Mayor Harry Armstrong can be found in the saddest chapter in his city's history.

Under intense pressure as the Clovis City Council majority was being paid off by land developers, Armstrong faced down the corrupters.

His message was direct: They could stick their way of doing business up their worthless backsides.

This took place in the early 1990s, and the beginning of what would become the Operation Rezone federal corruption investigation.

City Council Member Pat Wynne also stood strongly for honest government in Clovis. But the other three council members took the money, and the bad guys owned City Hall for a time.

The corruption trail would soon lead to Fresno. By the time Operation Rezone was over, there were 16 federal convictions, including the three Clovis council members.

I thought about those Rezone days last week when I read the news story about Armstrong, now 78, being elected mayor for the fifth time in a council career that started in 1970. The image many have of a small-town politician is an apple-polisher cozying up to the power structure to stay in office.

Armstrong and Wynne stood up to the crooks in charge, even before the FBI swooped in to give cover to the people who did the right thing. Those who had taken over Clovis government were so arrogant that they sent the message to Armstrong and Wynne that they would get them for not taking bribes.

Armstrong later would be recognized for his high ethical standards. This is what the nomination letter said for the Rose Anne Vuich Ethical Leadership Award: "Powerful interests made it clear that if he didn't go along, he would be swept aside. Never did he blink or stray from his standards and belief in the process of public involvement in honest government.

"This was very disheartening because it wasn't what our community was all about," Armstrong said. "There is still great disruption in our community, but we are still growing out of it. It took a lot of trust away from the council." You could base a career on Armstrong's actions in Operation Rezone. But he did so much more, especially making political connections that led to improvements for his city.

He has a statewide reputation as a local government advocate and has served as president of the California League of Cities. He's also been a key player on the Fresno County Transportation Authority, and is the agency's chairman. His efforts helped extend Highway 168 between Clovis and downtown Fresno.

Armstrong's public service isn't winding down. He's still considering a run for re-election in two years, although he says he'll keep people guessing about whether he might retire. "As always, it depends on the will of the good people of Clovis," he said.

Armstrong and his wife, Jeanine, were political forces in Clovis. She died 20 months ago and Armstrong said, "I miss her tremendously." His wife was his top campaigner, he said. "She was a fantastic partner. She knew more people than I did. She'd work one side of the room and I'd work the other. She was literally my campaign manager. She never once told me how to vote." Armstrong said staying active in Clovis government has been a blessing.

He has his hands full at City Hall as the Clovis leadership must determine how to get through the economic downturn.

Clovis voters turned down a sales tax increase earlier this month, and Armstrong says the financial decisions that are coming will not be easy ones.

But Clovis will get through it, he said, and he'll be there when the economy turns around. It would be difficult to imagine it any other way.

Jim Boren is The Bee's editorial page editor. His column appears Sundays. E-mail him at jboren@fresnobee.com or write him at 1626 E St., Fresno 93786.