Your Guide to the Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors District 4 race
Stanislaus County Supervisor Mani Grewal is seeking another four-year term representing a district that includes a large portion of Modesto and Del Rio.
Grewal, a Modesto native, businessman and farmer, said he’s for economic growth and stresses that people shouldn’t be bashful about promoting the county for business investment.
The former Modesto councilman can win another term if he defeats Jennifer “Rally” Valenzuela in the June 2 primary. Valenzuela, a provider of in-home care, said she’s not a typical politician and wants people to feel they have access to county government and a clear way to be heard.
Grewal was appointed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in 2021 to fill a board seat after the death of former Supervisor Tom Berryhill. He was elected to the seat for the first time in 2022.
Where is the district?
District 4 has been called the “Modesto seat” on the Board of Supervisors. Areas on both sides of McHenry Avenue and the downtown are part of the district, which extends south of the Tuolumne River to take in part of Ceres.
The county recently has dealt with tensions around the Stanislaus Regional 991 dispatch center, as Sheriff Jeff Dirkse has pushed hard for an Oracle computer-assisted dispatch system for his department instead of a CAD selected by the SR911 commission.
The county and partner agencies also are involved in major road projects including the North County Corridor and the Highway 132 bypass west of Modesto.
The candidates and their views
Grewal said he’s known for collaboration and getting along with everyone on the five-member Board of Supervisors. His business experience gives him expertise when dealing with the county’s $1.9 billion budget, the supervisor said. He is supported and endorsed by elected officials on both sides of the aisle, by law enforcement and business and labor groups.
In the next four years, Grewal said he plans to continue efforts to bring high-paying jobs to Stanislaus County, ensure safety and quality of life for the community and make investments in public infrastructure.
Grewal said the county, Modesto and other member agencies are on the right track with resolving the Stanislaus Regional 911 center controversy. A CentralSquare CAD favored by the Modesto Police Department was installed and software was purchased to unify the Oracle and CentralSquare systems for emergency calls, Grewal said.
“Once we can implement (the unifying software) and do it in a manner that’s safe for all community members, then we will move forward with implementation,” he said.
Modesto’s ongoing general plan update and proposals for growth have renewed debate about urban sprawl. Asked about potential development in the Wood Colony agricultural community west of Modesto, Grewal said it’s a discussion between the city and Wood Colony residents.
He said the county wants to make sure to respect its agricultural heritage but also not put Modesto in a position where it doesn’t have opportunity for growth.
At least one county supervisor has opposed a city option to designate industrial and business development in the Highway 132 corridor at the southern edge of Wood Colony. “The city is having that discussion and I don’t think that (option) is the final product,” Grewal said. “The city puts it out there so you have conversations. And they will be tough conversations.”
The Del Monte Foods plant closure and other significant job losses have raised questions about replacing those jobs and whether ag-based industries are in the county’s future. Grewal said the Beam Circular bioindustry initiative, to convert ag wastes to commercial products, has definite potential to creae living-wage jobs.
“We will be able to accomplish a lot when we have a (testing) facility,” the supervisor said.
Challenger says she connects people to services
Valenzuela hopes to become the first Latina elected to the Board of Supervisors. She served as a United Domestic Workers representative for Stanislaus, Tuolumne and Alpine counties. She is chairperson of the Modesto Culture Commission and volunteers in Modesto’s visual and performing arts communities.
Through her jobs and community work, Valenzuela said she meets residents and business owners and helps to connect people with resources. “Through my work, community involvement and advocacy, I regularly meet residents who are unaware of the services and resources available through county government,” Venezuela said in a candidate survey response. “As I often tell people, government works best when people understand how it works and how to participate.”
The candidate said transparency and accountability are essential for everything from 911 dispatch services to the public’s relationship with law enforcement, so that residents have confidence in the police force.
In regard to Wood Colony and the city of Modesto’s general plan, Valenzuela said she received feedback that Wood Colony residents want to be part of the conversation. “Whether or not it goes their way, they want to feel like they had a say,” she said.
Valenzuela said she has navigated the social service programs and systems overseen by the county, helping her understand where the gaps are and how people fall through the cracks.
As a UDW representative, Valenzuela was involved in negotiating a contract with the county that gave a wage increase to 6,800 in-home supportive services workers. The Board of Supervisors serves as the IHSS public authority for Stanislaus County.
Valenzuela said that if elected, she believes she would have to recuse herself if another contract for IHSS workers came before the board. She said she would ask legal staff about conflict of interest questions.
Grewal noted that the UDW has endorsed him.
Grewal holds an overwhelming lead in campaign fundraising, amassing more than $250,000. The incumbent received large donations from the California Laborers for Equity and Progress ($4,500), North Valley Labor Federation ($2,500) and the Modesto Chamber of Commerce ($2,000).
Valenzuela has yet to disclose campaign donations but said she expects to spend several thousand dollars on her grassroots campaign.
Another county supervisor, Terry Withrow, is unopposed on the June ballot.
