Turlock businessman figures prominently in another City Council race

Bill DeHart says his knowledge and understanding of Turlock’s issues — which include water and roads — and his ability to be a team player as well as his leadership skills serve him well as he seeks a third term on the City Council.

He represents Council District 3 — which covers northeast Turlock — and is being challenged by political newcomer Andrew Nosrati in the Nov. 6 election.

But a question can be raised about DeHart’s independence.

He confirmed that since the summer of 2015 he has worked as a consultant for prominent Turlock businessman Matt Swanson’s Associated Feed & Supply Co.

Critics have claimed that Swanson had too much influence over the council during the farmers market controversy of nearly three years ago because of what he, his family members and his companies had donated to the mayor and council members’ political campaigns.

The Bee reported in February 2016 that those contributions totaled nearly $25,000, with more than half of it going to Mayor Gary Soiseth.

On a 3-2 vote in February 2016, the council let a new market run by Swanson’s son-in-law Peter Cipponeri take over the Main Street location that had been operated for several years by the nonprofit Turlock Certified Farmers Market.

The campaign contributions were public knowledge but not DeHart’s consulting work.

DeHart said he asked then City Attorney Phaedra Norton whether he had a conflict of interest and should not vote. He said Norton told him there was no conflict because Swanson did not have a direct financial interest in the issue.

DeHart emphasized he voted against giving the Main Street location to Cipponeri.

But that council vote came after the Turlock Certified Farmers Market had withdrawn from the city’s competition for the Main Street location. The market later relocated to the Stanislaus County Fairground. And DeHart was part of the council majority that voted in December 2015 to have staff set up a process to select a market for the Main Street spot after Cipponeri requested a street closure permit for that spot.

The Turlock Certified Farmers Market is “almost a community institution,” DeHart said. “I think we could have come up with a better solution. That would have been to let them continue at that location.”

DeHart said in hindsight he should have disclosed his consulting work.

He said Associated Feed paid him about $12,000 in 2015, about $18,000 the next year, about $30,000 last year and he is on track to earn $30,000 this year.

DeHart checked the box showing he was paid $10,001 to $100,000 for his consulting work with Associated Feed on his statement of economic interests filed each year with the city. The forms do not have a box that provides for a more precise reporting.

DeHart is 70 years old and said he needs to work. He said Social Security is his only other income, and he and his wife have had to help other family members. DeHart said he also is starting his own business as an independent financial consultant.

But he said his work for Associated Feed does not impact his ability to be independent and vote for what he believes to be in the community’s best interest. He cited his vote against granting Swanson’s son-in-law the Main Street location as an example of that independence.

DeHart, who has been a Marine Corps helicopter pilot and officer, sales executive for his family’s printing business, and Covenant Village of Turlock marketing director, said his consulting work for Associated Feed consists of providing classes in mentorship, leadership and personal development to mid- and upper-level managers.

He said his family and the Swanson family have known one another for about a half century. He said both families owned homes in Scotts Valley and were neighbors there.

“It’s a long-standing relationship,” DeHart said. “I’ve known Matt Swanson since he was a boy.”

DeHart said he approached Associated Feed in 2013 and 2014 about providing training for its managers. He said it took about a couple of years before the company decided to use his services.

“It was quite a process,” DeHart said, adding that he is working on offering these presentations to two other companies.

DeHart said he would not vote on any issue that involved an economic benefit for Swanson and said to the best of his knowledge had not done so.

But DeHart was part of a 5-0 council vote on May 10, 2016, to award a one-year contract with Access Control Experts International, which was doing business as Ace Valet, to operate a downtown valet service.

Cars would be dropped off and picked up in front of Hauck’s Grill and then parked in a nearby city parking lot. The valet service would charge $5 per vehicle, and the service would operate from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. according to a city report. The city would not collect anything from Access Control during its first, trial year, but would collect revenue after that.

Though the staff report and other documents do not refer to Swanson, the California Secretary of State’s website shows he is the chief executive officer, chief financial officer and secretary of Access Control, whose mailing address is the same as Associated Feed & Supply.

The valet service apparently is no longer being offered.

DeHart said he had no knowledge of the Swanson connection and has asked city staff to investigate. Swanson did not return phone calls left with his assistant at Associated Feed for this story.

DeHart said he supports the partnership among the Turlock Irrigation District, Turlock and Ceres to build a water plant to serve the two cities. The plant will use Tuolumne River water and supplement the cities’ groundwater.

He also supports the approach Turlock has taken with Measure L, the half-cent transportation tax voters countywide approved in November 2016. Turlock is using its share to fix its most used roads that are in the worst condition, like West Main Street, first before tackling other streets and roads.

DeHart also has been part of a council that has approved labor contracts, including for police officers, and other spending that is requiring the city to use its general fund budget reserves. Those reserves could be exhausted within three years.

DeHart said that is “definitely a cause for concern” but added each council decision was for a necessary expenditure. He added that Turlock is being diligent in looking at its expenses and in finding revenues.

For instance, DeHart said the mayor has assigned him and Councilman Gil Esquer to look into the possibility of Turlock allowing cannabis businesses in the city. The mayor has said the council might vote on this issue late this year or early next year.

Nosrati, 30, is making his first run for elected office. He is vice president of product development for AdShare. He said the tech company’s primary purpose is to help musical artists realize the full potential of their online earnings.

AdShare has offices across the globe, and Nosrati works from his Turlock home. He said working for a high-tech startup has sharpened his ability to be creative, flexible and find new solutions to problems.

“I will be a (councilman) that will not accept reacting to problems with quick short-sighted decisions that lack the innovate approaches needed to find real sustainable solutions,” he wrote in his Bee candidate questionnaire. “I will work tirelessly, and meet with anyone that has information, and ideas for solutions.”

Nosrati said one of his top priorities if elected would be having Turlock address the need for more affordable housing. He said that would include working with private development to spur more building for low- and moderate-income residents.

“We are in a situation,” he said at a candidates forum, “where half our people are paying half their income for rent.”

This story was originally published October 16, 2018 at 4:38 PM.