Seeking to represent west Turlock districts, city council candidates share priorities
Voters in City Council Districts 2 and 4 — which cover southwest and northwest Turlock respectively — will choose from candidates with a range of experience in the November election.
Incumbent and notary public Gil Esquer, 70, is seeking a second term of representing District 2, citing an interest in completing projects such as a water treatment plant. Criminal defense attorney Rebecka Monez, 45, and emergency management professional Ruben Wegner, 34, are also vying for the seat as political newcomers. Wegner works for Stanislaus County and serves as a captain of the Turlock Rural Firefighters’ Association, while Monez also runs two nonprofit thrift stores that provide prepared food to homeless people.
Meanwhile, business owner Pam Franco, 57, and accountant Robert Puffer, 63, are seeking to replace Councilwoman Becky Arellano. Franco interviewed for the District 4 vacancy in January 2019 after Amy Bublak was elected mayor, but the council ultimately appointed Arellano to a term ending this year. Puffer is a past member of the Turlock Lions Club and Franco co-founded the Tri County Blueline Alliance, a nonprofit supporting first responders.
The winners will serve a four-year term on the council, voting on budget management, road repair requests and homeless plans, among other topics. The incoming council may decide how to spend revenue from the local sales tax measure if it passes this November, or may determine further budget cuts for the city with dwindled general fund reserves.
West side candidates discuss budget, police
Esquer identified ongoing work for a water treatment plant on the Tuolumne River, repairs to residential roads, affordable housing and the budget as reasons for his re-election campaign. Opening 60 additional low-income apartments at the Avena Bella complex in southwest Turlock and increasing city services after cuts to avoid deficit spending are two goals Esquer said he wants to finish. Esquer referred to his advocacy for both increasing the percentage of Measure L spending on residential roads and moving forward with the plant for safe drinking water as reasons to vote for him.
The initial list for Measure L road repairs focused more on main roads like Main Street, Esquer said, but he proposed the council revisit the issue.
“It was pretty clear that the residents wanted more residential road repairs,” Esquer said. “It took a couple years to get it back on the agenda, and I’m the one that kept pushing for that.”
If elected, Monez said she would bring an attorney’s experience in finding compromises between disputing parties to city hall. She describes herself as a problem solver on her Facebook campaign page and said in a phone interview improving Turlock’s budget and public safety services are her priority. Considering staffing recommendations for Turlock’s population, she said she would look to hire police and fire positions.
“We are short because it’s not in the budget to put them there,” Monez said. “That’s why I say the issues go hand-in-hand: the budget has to be resolved and public safety needs to be funded first and foremost.”
When it comes to the sales tax measure, Monez declined speak for or against it in a Bee candidate forum, saying voters should decide. Esquer has endorsed Measure A, while Wegner said in a Bee questionnaire he does not believe residents should shoulder the financial burden.
Wegner, like Monez and Esquer, supports increasing the number of police officers and said in a phone interview he would look for grants to fund services, plus help staff reevaluate the budget. Running a campaign focused on safety and security, Wegner said repairing city lights is one priority.
“We need to beef up on our street lamps and make it safe for individuals to walk at night,” Wegner said. “I know in my neighborhood alone, street lamps go out and don’t get replaced very often.”
As a former code enforcement officer in Turlock’s neighborhood services, Wegner said he also worked with the homeless community and understands their needs. Wegner favors proposals of a specialized police officer to accompany health care workers helping homeless people.
Monez, who runs Charity Thrift Store on Main Street in Turlock and the Good Samaritan in on McHenry Avenue in Modesto, said in a video posted to her campaign page that she has a solution to the homeless population, but wants District 2 residents to weigh in instead of telling them what to do. Esquer’s most recent efforts on the issue includes the Westside Revitalization Plan he co-authored, which the city council discussed in a workshop two weeks ago.
Northwest Turlock council hopefuls offer business ideas
In the two years since she interviewed for the District 4 opening, Franco said in an email her desire to serve the city grew. A real estate broker and accountant for her company, Franco has outlined a business growth strategy covering economic recovery from COVID-19, attracting new employers and long-term housing ideas. Attracting distribution centers and trade schools can bring high-paying jobs to Turlock, Franco said, and planning for new housing from apartments, condos to single family homes can ensure new employees spend money locally.
“With implementing the first and second priorities of helping current businesses with forums, job fairs, etc., as well as meeting with business owners to help them with COVID recovery, Turlock would see slow, but immediate increases in tax revenues as our local businesses return to their normal sales,” Franco said in an email. “Before COVID, Turlock’s sales tax revenue was increasing and local businesses were thriving. Helping businesses return to those levels as we progress through COVID will help both business and the city.”
Increasing police and fire department funding is her priority, Franco said in a Bee candidate questionnaire. Whether or not Measure A passes, Franco said she would look for additional revenue through business growth and streamlining costs.
Puffer, on the other hand, supports the sales tax measure and said it can fund improvements to public safety services, roads and parks, plus replenish reserves.
“If the measure fails, it will not matter who is on the City Council,” Puffer said in a post to his Facebook campaign page. “There will be substantial cuts to both police and fire services as that is the only remaining area in the budget that can be cut. If Measure A does pass, that is where I believe I can help guide where the money needs to go.”
A certified public accountant running for office for the first time, his priority is generating revenue for Turlock’s general fund, according to a Bee candidate questionnaire. To facilitate long-term business growth and revenue, in a phone interview Puffer said he would look to create two city jobs if elected. One employee could contact Silicon Valley technology companies to draw them to Turlock, while another could guide new small business through paperwork and fees on the federal, state and local level.
Ballots for the general election will be mailed beginning Oct. 5.
This story was originally published September 30, 2020 at 6:00 AM.
