From a reservoir to development, where do Patterson City Council candidates stand?
Two political newcomers are vying for the Patterson City Council District A seat: Shivaugn Alves, an educator, and Shawun Ruth Anderson, a nonprofit organization executive.
The candidates looking to succeed outgoing Councilman Joshua Naranjo in representing west Patterson hold different views and priorities on a proposed reservoir and economic development.
Alves serves as president of Save Del Puerto Canyon, a nonprofit opposing the proposed location for an 800-acre reservoir that would inundate part of the canyon, and told The Bee in an email she recognizes the need for water storage. But citing safety risks from pollution caused by construction, lack of proposed recreational areas, potential decreases to home values and the canyon’s historical and geological significance, Alves said developers should consider building the dam at one of the alternative sites identified in the draft environmental impact report.
More than 2,000 people have signed the nonprofit’s physical and online petition to move Del Puerto Water District’s proposed dam farther away from the city of about 20,000, Alves said, adding that the City Council could have taken a formal position since the draft report was released in December.
Meanwhile, Anderson said she plans to collect more information on the proposal and noted that Patterson does not own the land at the proposed site.
“It would be unjust to provide my opinion before listening and finding out what the citizens of District A have to say about the reservoir,” Anderson said in an email to the Bee. “My stance is to actively listen and communicate, not hypothesize, but conduct research that will help me provide facts, not fiction, to citizens regarding the reservoir.”
Working as a community partners manager for the Girl Scouts for 23 years, Anderson said she would bring experience in maintaining a budget and networking with businesses and organizations. She has called Patterson home since 2012 and said building relationships between the community, police and fire is among her priorities.
A fourth-generation Pattersonite, Alves has worked for the Patterson Joint Unified School District for 15 years, both in the classroom and district office. In a Bee candidate questionnaire, Alves said improving quality of life for all residents is her primary goal, and she would work toward it by building on career training opportunities and revitalizing downtown.
“A West Side educational-workforce development coalition could be formed to explicitly address and match local economic growth opportunities to skills in demand and skills provided,” Alves said in an email. “Quality, full-time jobs that provide a living wage are a foundation of sustainable economic growth. Patterson’s downtown, the former Frozen Foods location, and surrounding areas have potential for renovation and development so as to infill our city and revitalize from the spoke out.”
If elected, Alves said she would collaborate with the school district’s career technical education program and look into creating an incubator project for entrepreneurs.
Anderson also indicated creating jobs is important to her in a Bee candidate questionnaire and said she would work with Opportunity Stanislaus and attend conferences to attract department stores, technology companies, restaurants and small businesses. Laying groundwork for a hospital in the city is another goal, Anderson said.
As for distribution centers and office buildings in the district, which lies near Interstate 5, Anderson said she would look to continue development. In contrast, Alves said the low development fees the city charges box stores to attract them has put stress on roads and city services. In an email, she proposed slightly increasing the fees.
Organizations and people who have endorsed Alves include the Stanislaus-Tuolumne Central Labor Council, the Stanislaus County Democratic Central Committee, former mayor Luis Molina and Patterson school board member Ryan Segoviano, Alves said.
Anderson has endorsements from Naranjo as well as Council Members Dennis McCord and Dominic Farinha and outgoing Mayor Deborah Novelli, Anderson said in an email. Naranjo, who was elected to the District A for the first time in 2016, did not respond to calls and emails requesting comment. McCord is running for mayor in a three-person race, while Farinha is up for re-election unopposed.
Candidate campaign information can be found at Anderson4CityCouncilDistrictA.com and Facebook.com/Alves.for.Patterson. The election takes place Nov. 3 and ballots will be mailed Oct. 5.
This story was originally published September 21, 2020 at 3:59 AM.
