Who will represent Stanislaus County utility customers? Election for 3 districts coming

Stanislaus County’s three largest water utilities might have produced as many as nine political campaigns this year, with three seats up for election in each of the Modesto, Turlock and Oakdale irrigation districts.

But no one stepped forward to challenge TID incumbents, or two of three MID incumbents. The only MID race on the Nov. 7 ballot will feature businessman Stu Gilman challenging one-term incumbent Jake Wenger, a contest that could shape up as the nonfarmer against the farmer in a district where the distinction could become more important.

In Oakdale, former board member Grover Francis and newcomer Brad DeBoer will tussle for an open seat, while Don Taro will challenge two-term incumbent Herman Doornenbal. And Steve Webb will give up his seat of 31 years rather than face a challenge from Tom Orvis.

MID

Remember when three open seats on the embattled MID board brought eight candidates out of the woodwork? That was four years ago, when MID wrestled with board turmoil and hugely unpopular projects and periodically hiked electricity prices.

The waters have calmed significantly, and Gilman represents the sole challenge to any of the five incumbents since – Larry Byrd and Nick Blom faced no opposition two years ago, and John Mensinger and Paul Campbell are unopposed this year.

Gilman, who owns a consulting firm that develops custom software for large companies, wants to put his business savvy to work for MID customers.

“Spending at MID is out of control,” he said, noting average 2016 pay of $91,105 plus yearly benefits of $54,499 are far higher than average compensation for all cities and counties in the region, not to mention the private sector.

“I’m not blaming the workers for any of this – obviously they want the best deal they can get,” he said. “But it’s alarming to me and folks I talk to.”

Gilman also promises more transparency. The board recently moved a meeting an hour earlier than the normal time and called no attention to the change; by the time people showed up to comment on selling water to outsiders, a vote already had been taken. The district also canceled a joint board meeting with the Modesto City Council when The Modesto Bee questioned why the public would be excluded.

“Those two examples didn’t speak well to intentions to have public participation,” Gilman said.

Wenger said no one has fought harder than he has to combat the state’s plan for taking more water from area rivers, whether for fish or future tunnels sending water south.

“For four years I’ve been working hard for everyone in the district, and I feel proud to stand on my record and look at what I’ve done,” he said.

Since he took office, the board has reduced the district budget, paid down debt and boosted reserves without raising electricity rates, he said.

“No other board member has been more out front in meeting with state officials and working hard to protect our resources,” Wenger said.

OID

A theme running through most OID campaigns: Returning civility to the board.

“I’d like to see OID get out of the headlines for negative stuff and get back to being a good irrigation district,” said DeBoer, a candidate for Division 5, mostly south and west of town.

His opponent, Grover Francis, served on the board many years ago, long before the recent rancor that he too would like to dispel.

“I come in the role of peacemaker. I think we can all get along,” Francis said.

The rift began two years ago, when board members Linda Santos and Gail Altieri ousted longtime incumbents. Other board members sued to keep the women out of some closed-door meetings; a judge sided with Santos and Altieri, but an appeal is extending the litigation.

Santos survived a recall attempt in April, but the board is anything but united. Its last meeting featured interruptions, accusations, angry shouts and sarcasm.

DeBoer and Francis are vying for a seat vacated only a month ago, when Gary Osmundson was forced to resign as he moved his family into a new home outside the division. That led to the current 2-2 logjam on some important votes, a stalemate that should be erased with this election.

The other OID race pits incumbent Herman Doornenbal against Don Taro, who is seeking the seat that his father, the late Tony Taro, gave up just before Doornenbal was elected eight years ago.

“I feel (my father) was doing a good job and I’d like to help OID get into a better position than it is,” Taro said. “I feel that a board that works together can accomplish more than fighting and arguing with each other. You have to work together to accomplish better things.”

Doornenbal, a rice and almond farmer since 1979, did not respond to requests for comment.

Tony Taro held the Division 2 seat representing areas north of Oakdale, including Escalon and part of San Joaquin County, from 1993 to 2009. He died two years ago.

Don Taro said they were close, including 40 years of farming together. He said he is friendly with Doornenbal, but wants to do more to protect groundwater.

Opponents DeBoer and Francis both cited groundwater as a major issue, too.

Francis, an OID board member from 1998 to 2001, said the water table has been dropping in his two agricultural wells and one domestic well east of Modesto. He would rather that the district sell more water to neighbors rather than shopping it to wealthy outsiders.

“We need to keep the water here locally, no question about it,” Francis said.

DeBoer, who has never sought public office, sees potential in so-called new water sources such as recycling treated wastewater.

“A hundred years ago, men were much more bold and risk-taking, and we’re enjoying the fruits of their work now. We need to not sit on our haunches,” DeBoer said.

Meanwhile, Tom Orvis will claim the Division 3 seat being vacated by longtime board member Steve Webb.

Webb initially filed for re-election, then withdrew when Orvis pulled papers and no other candidate came forward.

Webb, who has served 31 years on the board, did not respond to requests for comment.

Orvis said he gave Webb a courtesy phone call to let him know that Orvis intended to challenge him, and was surprised when Webb stepped aside.

Orvis is no stranger to the OID chamber, having attended board meetings for the past decade as the Stanislaus County Farm Bureau’s governmental affairs director. The job takes him to similar gatherings of other government ruling bodies throughout the region.

The OID board’s last meeting in early August was particularly acidic, prompting Orvis to step up, he said.

“You can talk from the cheap seats, but unless you’re willing to put up and shut up, you’re just talking,” Orvis said.

He also farms in Hughson – territory of the Turlock Irrigation District – but lives in OID boundaries. His brothers continue running the family ranch to the north.

“There are frustrations,” Orvis said of the current board atmosphere. “I know all of them and I see all their points. You sit there and watch the arguments, shaking your head during the whole thing. I’m not going to say I identify with either side.”

In Turlock, incumbents Charles Fernandes, Joe Alamo and Ron Macedo will keep their seats for lack of challengers.

This story was originally published August 19, 2017 at 6:50 PM with the headline "Who will represent Stanislaus County utility customers? Election for 3 districts coming."