The Turlock City Council met Tuesday accepting, on a 4-1 vote, the Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) 2014-15 Budget, per City staff’s recommendation, to allocate $249,253 on the basis that it encourages economic development in the City.
The adoption of the budget devotes Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) dollars, the additional tax on hotel and lodging services, to CVB services and activities.
CVB is charged with marketing for the community with the goal of making the City a more attractive place for potential visitors as a means of bringing in outside dollars. Per the City, the goal of the program is increased convention sales, tourism marketing and services.
The approved $249,253 budget is comprised of $138,000 administrative allowance with the balance of funds allocated to other projects and programs specific to the plan. The allowance includes a new event planner position, which would be shared between the City, Chamber, CVB and Turlock Downtown Association. A $111,253 budget for various elements relating to the promotion of tourism is also included.
The Council approved the $111,253 allotment, which includes $10,000 for Directory and Visitors’ Guides, $45,000 for community funding, $10,000 for official city maps, $4,000 for media tourism advertising, $1,200 for web hosting and domain fees, $1,000 for smart phone technology, $5,000 for new and upgraded equipment, $2,000 for conferences, $2,000 for event hosting and receptions, $1,000 for travel, and $3,000 for the Carnegie Weekend Visitors Center.
During the Meeting, Turlock's Assistant to the City Manager for Housing and Economic Development Maryn Pitt noted benefits derived by the City from the CVB and Chamber while also mentioning that the program budget is a work in progress.
“The City actually benefits from a great deal of the economic development materials that are printed as a result of the efforts of the CVB that we include in many of our outreaches to potential employers and companies and organizations who are looking to come to Turlock,” said Pitt.
During the Council’s discussion on the matter, many concerns were raised regarding the effectiveness of the CVB and logistically, how it might improve.
Councilmember Amy Bublak inquired to CVB representatives present at the meeting regarding past effectiveness; she inquired regarding the number of downloads of the CVB app, popular devices used to access the website, most searched terms on the CVB website, and social media presence.
“As I’m reading this looking and looking for results, and data and statistical analysis, all I have is expenditure stuff, I don’t have any projections of revenue what you did in the last couple years, what worked, what didn’t work…what we can anticipate in six months, what we can anticipate in a year. And with $250,000…I think we should just have that,” said Bublak.
“And I’m not saying that you guys aren’t the people who should have this [the contract], I’m just saying we should have this information.”
TurlockCityNews.com sent an email to Turlock Chamber CEO Sharon Silva, CVB Director Desa Cammack, and City of Turlock Economic Development's Mayrn Pitt on Nov. 14 requesting stats and data but did not receive a response from any of them.
Cammack did not have the number of app downloads on hand at the meeting, noted that most traffic does come from PC users, and stated the most common search terms include “ag,” “Turlock” and “dining.”
“Facebook is growing, we could definitely be doing some paid advertising to encourage the likes, shares and comments, but it has continued to grow, it has continued to go forward,” said Cammack in response to Bublak’s questions regarding social media presence.
As of Wednesday night, the Turlock Convention & Visitors Bureau Facebook had 858 likes.
Bublak, the lone dissenting vote, favored waiting to vote on the matter until the CVB and Chamber could provide statistics, data, and a plan of action before allocating the funds; she also called for a business plan preceding a decision.
Noting the $3,000 allotment for the Carnegie Weekend Visitors Center, Bublak mentioned the California State University, Stanislaus Art Space on Main as a potential place to serve in the interim of the CVB during weekends and extended hours instead of the Carnegie Center. The CSU gallery is open Monday 12- 5 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday from 12 to 9 p.m., and is closed Sunday.
Bublak proposed splitting the $3,000 allotment in half to share between the Carnegie Center and the gallery.
“I’d rather us like slow it down for just a second and wait and vote on it when we get the statistics…Right now it’s predicated on emotion, it’s not on factual data, and that’s a little bit tough for me.”
Bublak also questioned the printed maps and directories, which are provided to local hotels and the CVB, and the $20,000 that is designated toward those materials in the budget.
“When we’re handing out a bunch of paper, and people are far more inclined to use apps, and we can force that…we can probably force the hotels to [use the apps and print]…we can save money there,” said Bublak concerning the $10,000 allotment budgeted toward maps.
However, members of the CVB said that maps and directors remain popular.
“They’re a hot commodity, especially with our hoteliers, with our visitors that come in…so much so that we came out with a separate map called the Attraction Map,” said Cammack.
“I thought about two years ago we would quit printing the maps…literally, I’m not exaggerating…there’s two to three every day [that come in for the map],” Sharon Silva, Turlock Chamber of Commerce CEO.
Councilmember Bill DeHart, though ultimately voting to approve the budget, voiced concern regarding the fact that no statistics or data on the current effectiveness of the services offered by the CVB were presented.
“While I understand the concerns about having background information and statistics, i think that one of the things that we do need to keep in mind is that the effort we are expending at this particular point is evolving, it’s a working document, it’s a spending plan.”
DeHart commended the groups for their vision and willingness to adapt going forward for the Council’s need for additional information.
“I can, without reservation, wholeheartedly endorse and support this plan [without the] need for scientific empirical, voluminous data.”
“I’d just as soon not see us stop dead in the water…We gotta keep moving forward,” said DeHart.
DeHart noted the “Mayor’s Select Task Force on Economic Development,” stating that the Chamber and CVB’s goals are all similarly aligned.
“Therefore I would support the plan before us,” concluded DeHart.
Councilmember Steven Nascimento spoke on the role of the Convention and Visitors Bureau as a whole.
“You have to pursue activities to get people to stay in the community,” said Nascimento. “That’s part of the goal here, to get people to stay in hotels, not just visit and then go home.”
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Noting the progress of the City in the past 12 to 13 years, former City Council candidate Donald Babadalir spoke regarding the matter during the public comments section with questions regarding the brief plan offered in the Council Agenda.
“I’m very happy that the Chamber is pushing, in terms of marketing…we need to attract more business over here,” said Babadalir.
“I was just somewhat curious as to why there was only a two page summary…that kind of raises some questions,” added Babadalir, also stating that he wished to see more of how money is being distributed and allocated.
Sergio Alvarado, former City Council candidate and Parks, Art, and Recreation Commissioner, also spoke regarding the budget.
“Half of this money won’t even be seen by taxpayers because it’s going to be held up in administrative costs,” said Alvarado concerning the $138,000 associated with administrative costs.
“$250,000 is quite a bit of money,” said Alvarado. “That was five times the amount of money that was budgeted for roads last year.”
“It’s just a major concern of mine that that much money is [going to] administrative costs.”
Bublak again raised concerns with the project.
“If I’m supposed to represent the public at large, I need to let them know that I wouldn’t spend $250,000 of my own personal money, or theirs, without knowing what I’m getting for it,” said Bublak. “I’m sure that they can give us that information…but it’s not here…that’s my only concern.”
Nascimento moved to approve with condition that CVB and Chamber comes before the Council again with an action plan, with cost assessments to review and a proposal to shift their budget in line with the City’s.
Roy Wasden, City Manager, had conversations with the groups regarding the possibility and feasibility of aligning the CVB and Chamber’s fiscal year with the City’s fiscal year.
Councilmember Forrest White was in favor of the project overall, calling the administrative budget cheap, and necessary if Turlock wanted to be competitive in the CVB world.
“If the hoteliers aren’t making money, the TOT doesn’t exist,” said White. “We can talk all we want about tourism, but what’s our occupancy rate? And if we’re filling the hotels and motels, and doing well, then we’re a successful CVB.”
“I don’t care how many hits are on the computer, if they’re not renting a room over night, we’re in trouble, because they’re the ones paying the bill,” said White.
Related Article:
Mayor Lazar Votes to Give Chamber $249,000 Before Leaving Office, Now on Chamber Board
Does nobody see that the Chamber of Commerce endorsed Bill Dehart and Forrest White? The Chamber also endorsed Steven Nascimento last election. Now John Lazar and Forrest White are leaving because people are tired of this ballroom handout of tax payer money.
Of course a quarter million dollars was going to be handed to them with no demand for tax payer spending accountability.
Can the new Council put a stop to this scandal?
This is such BS! The commerce doesn’t promote my business because I’m not a member so the city isn’t helping me! I don’t sign my name because the city and commerce will blacklist me even more. I hate this kind of politics!
Someone should call the TV stations and get this investigated. This has to be a misuse of funds and probably illegal.
Looks like the Chamber hasn’t liked Bublak’s questioning for a while now. The even endorsed whack job Mary Jackson when they endorsed Steven Nascimento too. Thanks for bringing that up.
https://www.turlockcitynews.com/component/content/article?id=2445
Nascimento is showing his two face a lot more. So now we know Nascimento teamed up with the Chamber to promote the Measure B road tax and Mike Brem for Mayor and both failed. Both campaigns were illegal too. That tells me Nascimento is probably doing some questionable stuff that needs to be investigated.
Bublak did her job and is probably waiting for the new Council elected people to be seated and start fixing what people like Lazar, Nascimento and White have lied about and wasted money on.
I am still confused about is this the Convention and Visitor Bureau or the Turlock Chamber of Commerce. I think some of these conspiracy theorists don’t get that the money does not go to the Chamber of Commerce at all. It is totally separate. It doesn’t matter if the Chamber endorsed anyone because it’s not like the money goes to the Chamber.
Forest argument that the TOT tax is paying the bill therefore let the money flow to whoever is currently getting that money is flawed logic. Correlation does not imply causation. Thank goodness that was his last council meeting! Why don’t politicians spend public money the same way they would spend their own money. Do they all feel they owe the chamber political favors? Is anyone else concered that the chamber receives public funds and also operates a political action committee that donates to candidates? So much corruption in such plain sight. Props to Amy for being a voice of reason. Keep that lady in office!
I agree: Bublak is on the outs. She will stand on her head if that’s what it takes to win her next election. In which case the voters will see her for the desperate person that she is.
The biggest question I have is who comes to Turlock as a tourist? We have nothing to offer sure we have a few historic buildings but other than that what do we really have to offer nothing this is a pit stop. Most of the people who stay at the hotels are staying the night or are in town on business. they did not say lets go to Turlock for a visit it is so fun. This whole thing sounds like someone is going to profit and I doubt it will be Turlock.
Councilman Bill DeHart is not a true conservative nor a fiscally responsible representative of the tax payers when spending money like this. He questioned the city manager and city attorney about 2 illegal investigations Councilwoman Bublak requested and that the Turlock Police union asked for his help on dealing with manager Roy Wasden and attorney Phaedra Norton but then voted to give them a pay raise and 5 year contracts totaling over a MILLION dollars. Now DeHart questioned the Chamber like Bublak asked but then voted to give the a quarter of a MILLION dollars without showing him any information on return on investment or any information on spending plans.
We knew Councilman Forrest White and Mayor John Lazar would make a back room deal like this but that’s why the people booted them out. We also know Councilman Steven Nascimento lies and goes where the breeze blows him and it’s always against the tax payers. But DeHart has let us all down at the police department because of a few rich people. Twice now. Maybe he should step down before an investigation shows he is corrupt?
This is totally a payoff to Sharon Silva and the Chamber. If you want to see the underbelly of Turlock corrupt politics – look no further than Silva and the Chamber. Glad we as the residents are cleaning house – two more years Nasimiento – the want-to-be carrier politician will be voted out and hopeful Sharon Silva sees the writing on the wall also.
Whack job Mary Jackson and Shorty Nascimento hate Amy Bublak. They keep trying to bring her down for no good reason except jealousy. Vote Nascimento out of office.
Get Ron Macedo to run against Steven Nascimento. Thats portagee against portagee. He is much more reasonable and listens to the people. Steven doesn’t have a clue of what people think or need. Nascimento just wants to further his political career in politics.
Wait a minute, this says that Turlock City News asked for stats and data the week prior to the Turlock City Council meeting and they still didn’t have the numbers for Councilwoman Bublak? That appears to be blatant refusal or defiance and most likely means they are hiding something. This is why they wanted this to pass before the new Council is seated.
The new Council should investigate the City Manager’s office and the CVB and demand a full outside audit and legal investigation for misuse of funds.
Bublak didn’t get endorsed by the Turlock Chamber in 2012 because she keeps asking for proof they’re not just stealing the tax payer’s money. I don’t usually support Bublak but this time I do and I think I am now becoming a fan. She also tried to stop the City Manager from getting a $1,000,000 contract and raise even after the illegal Measure B road tax insert he put in the utility bill and the dishonestly in dealing with the Turlock police officers union. So twice now she has proven to stand for accountable government and tried to stop illegal City government action.
The comment about DeHart I agree. That’s twice now he has looked just as corrupt as Mayor Lazar and Council member Steven Nascimento. He is not a conservative or even a common sense politician because it looks like he has turned into a flip flop crooked politician. Sergio Alvarado should get elected to help Bublak and Soiseth put an end to the corruption.
We need a definition of “tourist”. Obviously folks don’t come here for a sunny beach vacation. On the other hand, we probably have travelers spending the night while driving to Yosemite or Calaveras, or to shop for antiques. We probably have families come here to visit their kids at CSUS. We probably have industry honchos here for a few days’ visit to ConAgra, Associated Feeds, SupHerb, Foster Farms, Hilmar Cheese Co., and even CSUS, etc. Considering all the commercial stuff at Monte Vista Crossings, plus WalMart, there must be corporate folks staying in local hotels. Wouldn’t you want these people to know we have great restaurants downtown?
Ha. Interesting. We don’t have money for cops, we don’t have money for roads, but we have $250,000 to give to Sharon Silva as a payoff for whatever she has convinced people. Isn’t it interesting how so many people think that the chamber and Silva have all this power and influence but this last election proved that they’re just a joke.
This is one more example of the Lazar Reign by gifting those who supported him during his tenure. As his exit nears I would like to see a new direction by Mayor Soiseth in reassessing the Kingdom with devaluations of exorbinate salaries with reassignment classifications mirroring the rate of pay to comparable cities. Turlock can not continue with over inflated salaries, top heavy pensions and inner circle promotions. If there is a time to make a change then the time is now!
Just like California doesn’t have any money but here comes the high speed bullet train and yeah I agree Turlock has grown to be pathetic the only visitor attraction I see in the future is the expansion of the dust bowl and nice that you don’t have to go through turdlock to get to it right off the freeway I grew up in Turlock and resided here for many years when I moved away I was glad not sad that I didn’t stay much happier and feel luke I breathe bull$hit free air
This is why I vote against taxes every time no matter what they claim to be invented for. Government does not take care in spending money because they steal every penny of it. Something stolen has no value to the thieves because it came too easily. We need to get everyone but Bublak off this council and start shining a light on this corrupt little city’s dealings. Otherwise Turlock will always be a joke and a (*edited by tcn).
Typical City of Turlock B.S. You never have money for the important things but find it for pet projects.
I have faith that our new Mayor will put a stop to this type of nonsense when he sees what goes on at City Hall. Hopefully some heads will roll.
I hope this blatant mismanagement of funds blows the lid off of the CVB, the Chamber, the Council, the Downtown Assoc. and all the folks who just kick back and flush our tax dollars down the toilet. It is beyond shameful that no one can provide data and projections for a budget of that scale. **Important Distinction; a Marketing Budget is a spending budget, an Advertising Budget is a revenue-producing budget** Marketing creates awareness, advertising is a call-to-action. If you had a $250K marketing budget at any business, you would first have to create and identify what your marketing campaign IS. This is where branding comes in. Branding identifies the unique features and benefits of a product, place or thing.
Many folks here have expressed the fact that Turlock has little to offer or is only sufficient for overnight visitors…which may be true BUT if you have that amount of money to spend, you had better come up with a branding statement, a mission statement and a month-by-month breakdown of where that money is going. Is it being used for media? Cable, radio or print? What about online marketing initiatives? What about seasonal campaigns? Drawing visitors here for our 4th of July parade or our holiday tree lighting? More importantly, marketing campaigns measure RESULTS. The fact that the CVB can’t identify what the downloads are on the app, or offer up any other results without looking it up means they really don’t know what they’re doing. Thank you to Amy Bublak for holding them accountable. Accountability AND transparency are desperately needed!! And why for God’s sake is there ANOTHER line item for an Event Coordinator?! Downtown events were handled by the TDPOA…which have been a fiasco these past few years…Taste of Turlock, anyone?…Seriously, if the downtown can’t handle their business, why should anyone think that the Chamber is equipped for this job? And why are we paying for both a downtown, the Chamber and the CVB to do versions of the same thing? Please, Amy, help us out!
We hope Soiseth and Amy can clean things up…and get DeHart to vote his conscience instead of appeasing the evil alliance of Forrest Wipe, Steve Mental and John Bizarre. And notice how other than Amy, the only two people who spoke up were the two former candidates who should have won – Sergio and Donald.
Turlock, you (*edited by tcn) up! Now Sharon Silva is getting $250k for more implants and paper maps.
Chamber hasn’t done ANYTHING for business in Turlock. Pull the plug on them already. Between reduced salary for the overpaid city manager, city attorney, parks head, and other cronies – and ending wasteful spending like this – we could have hire 8 more officers to get these damn tweakers and cartel members off our streets.
Turlock is so lucky to have a councilmember like Amy. An MPA, all-American in athletics, and she’s not afraid to run [i]toward[/i] gunfire as a cop – she is the real deal! She has more testicular fortitude than all of the men on the council combined! God bless you Amy! May the whole host of heaven protect you forever and ever. Amen.
Someone mention SupHerb farms? Is that like…a weed growing operation? Tell the truth Mike Brem…you blazed it when you was younger eh? Roll dat doobie up bruh…you’ll have plenty of time now that you’re retired and LOST the election. Puff puff passssssss
GivHart noted the ‘Mayor’s Select Task Force On Economic Development'”
Give me a break!!!! You mean the paper tiger committee that Lazar created to appoint the previous election’s losers to in order to make them feel good? They don’t do anything and everyone knows it.
the city council, chamber of commerce, and don’t forget the downtown association are killing Turlock with their pro corporate, anti independent business ideals. their attempt to turn Turlock into some tourist destination for homeless and fans of kaepernick is sad. the more important question is – when are you going to get your sleazy hand out of my pocket?
Please fix this new city council. What happened to the city manager and city attorney getting punished for sending an illegal political flyer in the utility bill and then the old council gave them $1,000,000 contracts before they left office? Will that be fixed too?
I keep seeing posts saying there is a lawsuit with the police and Bublak asked for an investigation of the city manager and city attorney giving themselves raises illegally and the police said the manager was dishonest. Can the new council fix this too?
I guess that brings up the elephant in the room which is will the new council tell us why the road tax had an illegal campaign tied to the city and why it still failed? We still need to fix the roads so now what do we do since the Turlock government has zero trust. Even the Bublak and DeHart asked about investigating the city manager and city attorney for the police union. It didn’t pass so that also needs to be fixed.
How do we address all this and where is the new mayor Gary Soiseth at? He was elected mayor and he says nothing to the people and he’s not speaking on any of these issues at the meetings. Are we already not important now and he will just be talking to Curt Andre and Matt Swanson? People said we were all just voting for Andre if we vote for Soiseth. That seems like it’s happening now.
DJ must really hate the chamber because he is sponsoring this article on facebook lots. He can not beat the well respected Turlock business leaders such as Jim Theis, James Brenda, Jerry Powell, Mark Hall, Mike Romeo, Steve Gemperle, Mike Lynch, Jeff Segars of Foster Farms, Andrew Wigglesworth of Medic Alert, Lazar Piro, Mike Rose, Fred Brenda and Dean Doerksen and many more involved.
DJ needs to work with people and not just stir the pot. Speak at meetings and present plans. Join the chamber and learn business. Notice the names of the people I listed and then realize who leads Turlock. This is their plan and they know a thing or two about business and leading Turlock.
Those people may be the most popular in Turlock but they couldn’t get their mayor (Brem) elected and they couldn’t get Measure B passed. DJ beat them. Life emulates High School. The popular group may love themselves and think they are in control of the school but in reality, the nerds are running the school.
I don’t know many of those names so whoa cares?? Brenda like Brenda’s Gym? Whoa! Or Jerry Powell the (*edited by tcn) on Facebook who likes every post??? Ohhh! These people don’t mean (*edited by tcn) to me! Dj put on concerts for the kids of Turlock and all around the area and helped start the skatepark movement in 1996. I think he helped get the bike park here too but the city mayor kicked him off the project. We have a new mayor that might help that kind of rich only politics but he looks like a rich boy white only allowed person too.
The City of Turlock said they need money for roads and Councilman Steven Nascimento said all the City had was $50,000 but then he just gives away $250,000 and says they can report back in 6 months for the year prior results. How is this not wrong of Nascimento and how he is lying to the public saying all the City has for roads is $50,000?
Can there be a recall election to kick Nascimento off the City Council?
Does the Turlock Chamber of Commerce pay rent for the building they’re in on City of Turlock property? If not then they need to be. What makes them so special over other non-profits and associations that work with the City of Turlock?
They are a group of rich business people and they were just given $250,000 after we just heard City Council say they needed more and more tax money for roads and the city manager Roy Wasden and city attorney Phaedra Norton illegally spent tax payer money to send out road tax political campaign material.
The City should not be giving the rich people money and they should charge them rent for the building they’re in. We need money for roads then lets tighten up the budget and charge those who are getting handouts.
I do not believe for a second that the city does not have money for road repair.
How did the $ 150,000 magically appear for the cost overrun for the Monte Vista Repaving.
See the excerpt from a previous T.C.N. article.
Additionally the Council unanimously approved the appropriation of an additional $150,000 for the Monte Vista Avenue Rehabilitation Project from the City’s Gas Tax Fund.
Hey Name Dropper (aka DJ hates the Chamber), last time I checked no one but you named any names in association with the mismanagement of funds other than those folks who were part of the “marketing plan” for the Chamber and CVB. Why are you dragging all these other people into it? Is there something else we should know about? Or do you just like stroking your own ego because you rattle off a half dozen names of people who do business here in town? If they’re such awesome leaders and pillars of the community then why aren’t they demanding accountability from our local government? Or, like most top-feeders, maybe they just don’t care as long as they’re getting theirs. Would they approve a $250,000 budget in their businesses without an outline, statistical data or ROI? Thank God someone has the b*lls to point out the total b.s. that is happening in this town. If you read these posts, you can hear the level of frustration in our community. Road funds/taxes totally mismanaged, fewer cops on the street, a new mayor who has hidden himself in the interim, and yet the Chamber, CVB, City and Downtown Assoc can just merrily skip along spending hundreds of thousands without having to answer to their constituents. Where are the Turlock Elite now?!
Speaking on the “level of frustration” in Turlock, add to that a failing Common Core implementation in education, unreal rise in homelessness, rise in crime and low morale in general. Clearly, we are being punished for something. I wish I knew why?
No wonder why the chamber of commerce didn’t need to give the council results or the stats councilwoman Amy Bublak asked for. This was already a done deal people. Money in the bank thanks to the chamber’s own board member with the inside persuasion!
Mayor Lazar Votes to Give Chamber $249,000 Before Leaving Office, Now on Chamber Board
https://www.turlockcitynews.com/news/item/4317-mayor-lazar-votes-to-give-chamber-249-000-before-leaving-office-now-on-chamber-board
We already do more than any other non profit group so what more do you want? Do you want us to take time of ours that is worth way more than yours to show our work? Move on and do something for the community like all of us at the Turlock Chamber of Commerce.
Turlock chamber of commerce does so much for the community?! Like what? Creating some made up job “event coordinator” with funds stolen from already struggling people for some connected club member that’s not skilled enough to find a real job on his/her own? Lol congrats, you decreased unemployment by one person while robbing thousands to do so!
Can anyone clarify if this is the Turlock Chamber of Commerce or Convention and Visitors Bureau? It is not clearly explained here in relation to who is the contract with from the City of Turlock.
There also seems to be a connection to the City of Turlock giving government tax dollars collected to a politically active Turlock Chamber of Commerce’s Turlock Action for Business Political Action Committee. The TABPAC endorsed incumbents Forrest White and Bill DeHart in the last election. Could this be said to have happened because those sitting on the Council gave the TABPAC funding through the Chamber of Commerce.
I heard the Chamber CEO made Desa Cammak resign or quit because Councilwoman Bublak was demanding results and they couldn’t show any. Is it true?
Is it true the Chamber board is going to be investigated for misuse of funds and owes the City of Turlock money and has to send a refund check to all citizens of Turlock for money they took from the city and didn’t work for?
Turlock news please find out!
Thank you Councilwoman Bublak!
Is it true now that John Lazar is on the Board he and Sharon Silva are firing people who don’t agree with them and who wanted to turn over the meager “results” to the city that Council Member Amy Bublak requested over a month and a half ago?
Turlock Chamber of Commerce and the City of Turlock for marketing and promoting our city. This is what you voted for Soiseth cult members and Fransen brainwashed sheeple. Mayor John Lazar kept Turlock’s leadership funded and together to accomplish so much during the recession. Now Soiseth is tearing it all apart.