TurlockCityNews.com will host its first-ever candidate forum next week, giving Turlock Irrigation District candidates a chance to discuss contentious issues with voters.
The forum will run from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the American Legion Hall, 75 Bothun Rd., Turlock.
“Our readership and local candidates have requested TurlockCityNews.com hold a forum to help inform voters and candidates of the issues each face,” TurlockCityNews.com owner and publisher David “DJ” Fransen said. “So I'm excited that we can facilitate that by hosting TurlockCityNews.com's first-ever public candidate forum.”
Both candidates for the District 5 seat, incumbent TID Director Ron Macedo, a farmer, and challenger Darrel Monroe, a retired irrigation worker, will attend the forum.
Incumbent TID Division 3 Director Joe Alamo, an agribusinessman, will be in attendance, but his challenger Dan Agundez, a retired electrical worker, is not expected to attend due to a prior engagement.
The forum will see candidates provide opening and closing statements, answer four prepared questions, and then field questions from the audience. Light refreshments and pizza will be provided for guests.
The forum is being organized by TurlockCityNews.com, Turlock's only daily, locally-owned source for news and information. Since its 2005 founding, TurlockCityNews.com has grown to serve more than 88,000 unique visitors each month.
Hosting a candidate forum is the next logical step to achieving the mission of TurlockCityNews.com, Fransen said – sharing the news and information that matters with the citizens of Turlock.
“There's a responsibility to facilitate the distribution of factual information as the most trafficked Turlock media,” Fransen said.
Issues and questions that may potentially be brought into discussion by the moderator can be emailed in advance to turlock@turlockcitynews.com.
Oct. 21 is the last day to register to vote in the Nov. 5 election. To register online, visit http://registertovote.ca.gov/.
I think it would it be important to point a finger back the other way as well? It's no secret that Joe Alamo is bought by prominent dary men/ farmers(withholding names), so who's puppetting(owns) Joe Alamo? And as of the moment, all I see is uni-faceted Joe Alamo is only supported by a minority group of dairymen/farmers
Just an observer
During Joe Alamos time as board of director for the TID, Electrical rates have gone up 7%, twice = 14%. Your electrical rates are going to increase again at the end of the year another 5%! If you average that over four years during Joes term, That's a pretty hefty$$$ average. So ask Joe, given those numbers is he really for affordable electricity?
Some of Joe's campaign talks about The Almond Grayson project being done under budget and on time? He also touches on his electrical reliability plan?
The Almond Grayson project started out in the $14-$16 million range. Ask Joe how many times was that "budget adjusted"? Ask Joe how many times he voted on a different budget(increased) for the Almond Grayson project? Ask Joe why did the project increase in price(Because the board felt the need to change the route on several occasions)? Ask Joe ultimately where did the budget end up for that project($26-$28million)? A decision that ultimately landed on the shoulders of the ratepayers. And NO, the project did not get finished on time it was about two weeks late.
Joe says he pushed for an electrical reliability plan? And he may be telling the truth? Joe may believe he has a electrical reliability plan in place. And if that's the case Joe was sold snake oil. Joe's electrical reliability plan is a farce, that have cost electrical rate payers and the TID almost $3,000,000. Yes you read the correctly 3 MILLION, is Joe thinking of the rate payer here? He certainly isn't thinking about customer service? Joe's "reliability plan" burned up a customers house to the tune of over $52,000, Joe's "reliability plan" also burned up a over $200,000 truck, Joe's "reliability plan" also burned down a newly constructed line. So let me ask the question again! How reliable is Joe's Electrical reliability plan???
During Joe Alamos time as board of director for the TID, Electrical rates have gone up 7%, twice = 14%. Your electrical rates are going to increase again at the end of the year another 5%! If you average that over four years during Joes term, That's a pretty hefty$$$ average. So ask Joe, given those numbers is he really for affordable electricity?
Some of Joe's campaign talks about The Almond Grayson project being done under budget and on time? He also touches on his electrical reliability plan?
The Almond Grayson project started out in the $14-$16 million range. Ask Joe how many times was that "budget adjusted"? Ask Joe how many times he voted on a different budget(increased) for the Almond Grayson project? Ask Joe why did the project increase in price(Because the board felt the need to change the route on several occasions)? Ask Joe ultimately where did the budget end up for that project($26-$28million)? A decision that ultimately landed on the shoulders of the ratepayers. And NO, the project did not get finished on time it was about two weeks late.
Joe says he pushed for an electrical reliability plan? And he may be telling the truth? Joe may believe he has a electrical reliability plan in place. And if that's the case Joe was sold snake oil. Joe's electrical reliability plan is a farce, that have cost electrical rate payers and the TID almost $3,000,000. Yes you read the correctly 3 MILLION, is Joe thinking of the rate payer here? He certainly isn't thinking about customer service? Joe's "reliability plan" burned up a customers house to the tune of over $52,000, Joe's "reliability plan" also burned up a over $200,000 truck, Joe's "reliability plan" also burned down a newly constructed line. So let me ask the question again! How reliable is Joe's Electrical reliability plan???
One fact is, if Joe does not get re-elected Joe is at risk of lossing his TID benefits, retirement pay and the medical benefits for Joe and his family. Joe uses TID through TID policy to gain in his personal life and personal business!
You'd think after four years on the board Joe would have taken the hint
Good luck Joe
"Although all four candidates denied any current relationship with the IBEW, Supervisor Alamo revealed that his opponent, Agundez, received campaign funds from the local linemen’s union. Some linemen at the meeting denied this allegation, demanding Alamo provide proof to the audience.
According to an official 497 Contribution Report filed on Sept. 30 with the Stanislaus County Clerk, Agundez did receive $1,500 in contributions from the IBEW local union 1245.
“We have been faithfully negotiating with them for two years now,” said Alamo, in regards to his relationship to the IBEW. “I do not have any relationship to them other than negotiations. We need to get to an agreement, and we need to have reliability for our customers.”
Instead there statement read, "here's what's happened to us(were the victim)". If your the boss on top how is this possible?
to repair it. All 40 were camping. They let the customers down. The board had to hire outside contractors so it couldn't happen again
Freedom of speech is one thing, Lies are another.
The truth hurts, doesn't it? The linemen were out of line when they left the electric customers stranded. When my power was off for 48 hours, I also lost all respect for them. Piss on their leg.
I was in the room and you're lying about what he said...he said he lost respect for the linemen, not that he didn't trust them. If you're gonna spew untrue info, please do it somewhere else instead of trying to sway votes with lies