Emerson Drake caused a minor sensation recently when he reported contents of an email from Bruce Frohman to Modesto Mayor Garrad Marsh. In the email, Frohman offered to write an opposition argument to the Stamp Out Sprawl (SOS) ballot initiative. Drake claimed the email was evidence Frohman had gone over to the “Dark Side.” Given the context, “Dark Side” most likely meant “pro-development.” Since Frohman and I communicate frequently, I […]
Salida Annex
What’s Happened to Garrad Marsh and Jenny Kenoyer?
The Valley Citizen enthusiastically supported Modesto Mayor Garrad Marsh and Councilperson Jenny Kennoyer. Mostly because they favor inclusion of Wood Colony in the City’s General Plan, both have left supporters wondering whether they’ve abandoned the principle planks of their pre-election platforms, which included smart growth and farmland preservation. The wide consensus is both have sold out; we don’t think so, but we do think both are in dire political straits. […]
Marsh Needs to Back Urban Limits Now
If you’ve been reading the Modesto Bee lately, you might think Dave Lopez and Bill Zoslocki are guardians of the farmland Garrad Marsh and Jenny Kenoyer are trying so hard to cover with asphalt. Kenoyer and Marsh have been framed as sell-outs and there’s even talk of a recall. It’s a far cry from what many hoped would be a farm-friendly government led by Marsh, whose years as a Modesto […]
Marsh and Kieta: First Year Reviews
Roughly a year ago, Garrad Marsh and Joe Kieta took the helms of two of our most cherished institutions, the City itself and the City’s only newspaper. Faced with similar challenges in the form of falling revenue, reduced staffs, and a struggling economy, Marsh and Kieta have had only a year to turn things around. While neither has succeeded, it’s too early to count either man out. Here’s our review […]
Citizens of Salida Will Decide Their Future, by Bruce Frohman
The City of Modesto has started an effort to annex the small unincorporated town of Salida. In doing so, the citizens of Salida will be forced to decide their town’s future. They have three basic options. They can annex to the City of Modesto, incorporate as their own city, or leave themselves unincorporated. The Annexation Option If Salida annexes to the City of Modesto, residents will get the advantage […]
Salida Probably Will Not Be Annexed To the City Of Modesto, by Bruce Frohman
In 2005, this writer ran for a seat on the Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors. I lost the race to the incumbent, Jeff Grover. During the race, I talked to voters living in Salida, an area I would have represented had I been elected. Many Salida voters did not want to be annexed into the City of Modesto. They thought that if they were annexed, their taxes and fees […]