Residents of Goshen and northern Tulare County came to meet and question their potential future Tulare County Supervisor at a forum for those seeking the Tulare County District 4 supervisorial seat.
The forum was hosted by the Tulare County League of Women Voters and took place in the Community Center of the Goshen Village I apartments. For an hour and a half candidates responded to questions from the league and the audience.
District 4 includes the unincorporated communities of Badger, Cutler-Orosi, Elderwood, Goshen, Ivanhoe, London, Monson-Sultana, Seville, Three Rivers, Traver, and Yettem. The cities represented in District 4 include Dinuba, Woodlake, and a small portion in the northwest corner of Visalia.
Candidates Ian Bakke and Rudy Mendoza participated in the forum. Incumbent Eddie Valero, who lives in Orosi, was unable to participate due to a prior commitment.
Bakke is chief operating officer at Bakke Ag Services and a resident of Dinuba. Mendoza is the mayor of Woodlake, a small business owner, and CEO of an agricultural company.
The two candidates with the most votes in the June 2 primary will advance to the general election on November 4.
Doors opened at 6:00 p.m. for an informal meet and greet and the forum began at 6:30 p.m.
Sponsors for the evening were the League of Women Voters of Tulare County, the American Association of University Women, the Tulare County League of Mexican American Women, the Valley Voice, and the Sun-Gazette.
The candidates answered questions about animal control, impacts to health coverage and services due to the Big Beautiful Bill, water quality in rural communities, AI’s impact, and bear proof trash cans in Three Rivers – among others.
Bakke told the crowd in response to a question regarding agriculture, farming, and water usage, that “We [Tulare County] are California.” Mendoza concurred, adding that the San Joaquin Valley produces 25% of the food supply in the entire country and that we are the number one dairy producing region in the country.
The two candidates differed though on how they would have handled the Tulare County Supervisors’ vote on bear proof trash cans for Three Rivers.
Mendoza said that he wants to protect the human community and protect wildlife but felt the supervisors had not done their homework on the issue. The new containers will raise Three Rivers’ residents’ garbage bill by 30%. He said he would have voted no on the mandate.
Bakke said that there should have been better communication on why the county was doing what they were doing. He said that the public and supervisors had a heated discussion during the public hearing and that the tourists were taking the blame for the bears. But he said many other counties have successfully used the bear-proof containers and he would have voted yes.
The issue of animal control in both candidates’ hometowns is a daunting issue.
Mendoza said “the answer is eluding us right now.”
Woodlake is being proactive on the issue and is actually holding a spay and neuter clinic this weekend, he said – but he would rather that money go to parks and recreation for the betterment of their residents.
Bakke said the three animal control officers that work for Tulare County do a great job but, “why not add one more?”
They also differed on the question of whether Cutler-Orosi should incorporate and become a city.
Mendoza said it was a difficult process but that the county should give Cutler-Orosi the tools to try. His hometown Woodlake is the smallest incorporated city in the county.
Bakke did not agree that the area should be incorporated, because the costs of taking on fire protection, a police force, and road repair would be prohibitive.
He said that Cutler-Orosi is the largest unincorporated community in California – but he would not encourage it to apply for city status.
For the question “How can supervisors do a better job of keeping county residents informed about county issues?” Bakke responded, “Be one with the people. Show up and talk with the people. This is Tulare County. We are all family.”
Mendoza replied, “I believe in meaningful presence. Be as accessible as you can. He added that it doesn’t matter what race you are or political party you agree with, “My job is to represent everyone.”