While the November ballot will have a major race on top of the ticket — president of the United States — there will be no races for city or county elected offices.
David Taub
Politics 101
The Fresno mayoral and council races were wrapped up in the March primary. Same with county supervisor races. But, school boards will be a hot topic.
With one week until the first deadline to run for local office in November, more candidates are filing for local school boards. Here is a recap:
Fresno County Board of Education
Three of the five seats are open for the board that oversees school districts in the county, as well as operates a few schools itself.
Area 2
Gail Gaston, a businesswoman and a Democratic Party activist, has filed to run. Incumbent Michael Robinson has yet to file.
Robinson would be seeking his third term. He’s served since 2012.
Also in Politics 101:
- Lots of competition for SCCCD trustee seats.
- Pay raise for Clovis City Council?
Area 3
Daren Miller, appointed to the seat in 2019, filed to be elected in his own right. Two others have filed to run against him — biologist Craig Seber, and James Martinez, a staffer for state Sen. Melissa Hurtado.
Miller says his 30 years’ experience in education and two years on the board give him the edge. Plus, he recently earned his doctoral degree.
“(It) opened my eyes to different trends throughout the United States and to the world as far as it impacts what goes on in education,” Miller said.
Martinez says being raised by a single mother under tough economic circumstances, then going on to Fresno City College and Fresno State influenced his decision to run.
“My life story represents or reflects a lot of life stories. Fresno County students that encounter the same type of barriers at home,” Martinez said.
Miller and Martinez are both active in the local Democratic Party.
“I respect the work Daren has done … I think he’s a great guy,” Martinez said. “In an election, you know, everyone has choices.”
Area 5
Incumbent Allen Clyde has filed to run. He has yet to draw a challenger. He’s served as a trustee since 2001.
State Center Community College District
Four seats are up for election this year. The district oversees several community colleges in the Valley. All incumbents have at least one challenger.
Related Story: Local Unions Take Big Interest in Crowded College Trustee Races
Area 2
Incumbent Eric Payne is running for his third term. He has drawn two challengers with name recognition in the community — communications professional Nasreen Johnson, formerly with Fresno EOC; and Sevag Tateosian, a public health analyst with the county.
Left to right: Eric Payne, Sevag Tatetosian, and Nasreen Johnson are running for the Area 2 seat on the SCCCD board. (GV Wire Composite/Alexis DeSha)
Area 3
John Leal is running for his third term. Two candidates plan to run against him — graduate student Danielle Parra of Fowler, and Dary Rezvani, a Fresno businessman who ran for Congress earlier this year, but did not advance beyond the primary.
Left to right: John Leal, Danielle Parra, and Dary Rezvani are running for the Area 3 seat SCCCD board. (GV Wire Composite/Alexis DeSha)
Area 6
Deborah Ikeda is running for her second term. Chris Milton, a Clovis businessman and civil rights advocate, has filed. Sally Fowler, a retired Fresno Unified administrator, is also listed by the county clerk as pulling papers to run.
“Let’s go!!! Ours time for God’s work to help to create a platform and increase resources for our young adults!!” Milton posted on Twitter.
Fowler is the retired executive director of Fresno Unified’s College and Career Readiness office.
“I’m a better candidate because I’ve been at that level of education for many years where we’ve been actively responsible for developing programs as well as for helping our underserved student populations become eligible and supported through the process of entering into college,” Fowler said.
Left to right: Deborah Ikeda, Sally Fowler, and Chris Milton have filed to run for the Area 6 seat on the SCCCD board. (GV Wire Composite/Alexis DeSha)
Area 7
Richard Caglia is running for his fourth term. He faces two challengers.
Caglia says his leadership has helped make SCCCD a success, with more students graduating and transferring.
“I am the only candidate in this race that has the experience, has been tried, and knows the specifics on where we should be focused in order to better our student’s success,” Caglia told Politics 101 via text. “This board should be for individuals looking to invest in the future of our region, not in getting their foot on the political ladder or resolving the personal beefs they may have with the State Center Community College District.”
Abena Cruise, a community outreach director for Table Mountain Casino and also on the Fresno Commission on Police Reform, has filed to run.
She says she better fits the diversity of the district.
“I’m a representation of the district, representation of being a culturally diverse community, that our representation needs to be on that board,” Cruise said. “It’s time for change. And, I think it’s time for progressive and new innovative ideas and people who can better reach the need of the students, and that needs to be reflective in that board. And therefore, I think that I can do that.”
Jon Bath, a Fresno Unified teacher, also pulled papers to run.
“As a high school teacher, my focus is on the needs of my students as they enter the community college system and struggle to navigate a pathway toward a four-year university or becoming certified in a trade or career technical field that can support their families and ultimately our community,” Bath told Politics 101.
Left to right: Richard Caglia, Jon Bath, and Abena Cruise are running for the Area 7 seat on the SCCCD board. (GV Wire Composite/Alexis DeSha)
Fresno Unified School District
Related Story: Gloves Come Off in Contested Race for Fresno School Board
Area 2
Elizabeth Rosas Jonasson is running for her second term, and no one has filed to run against her.
Area 5
Incumbent Carol Mills is running for her fifth term. Two challengers have emerged: David Paredes and Alex Desiga.
Area 6
Thus far, incumbent Claudia Cazares, who is running for her second term, doesn’t have an opponent.
Central Unified School District
Four seats are on the ballot, including a special election to fill the vacated seat of Richard Atkins — who resigned in controversy regarding insensitive remarks made on his Facebook page.
Phillip Cervantes (Area 3), Richard Solis (Area 5), and Terry Cox (Area 6) are the incumbents for reelection, although no one has filed yet.
Shawn Brooks, an accounting clerk, has filed for the open Area 4 seat. Brooks ran for the seat in 2018 and lost to Atkins, 60%-39%.
Clovis Unified School District
Related Story: Trustee Turnover Continues at Clovis Unified. Will District Philosophies ...
A preview of those who’ve filed to run thus far can be found at the San Joaquin Valley Sun. A brief recap:
Area 2
The Sun reports that incumbent Ginny Hovsepian is retiring and not running. Three have filed so far — Jacob Trumble, Nicholas Lutton, and David DeFrank.
Area 4
Hugh Awtrey was appointed to the seat last year vacated by the retired Brian Heryford. He is running for reelection for a full term.
Three others have pulled papers: Jonathan Holt, Sean Cohea, and Noha Elbaz.
Areas 5 and 7
So far, only incumbents Steven Fogg (Area 5, running for his second term) and Christopher Casado (Area 7, running for his fourth term) have filed.
Clovis Council to Discuss Pay Raises
Clovis city administrators believe that councilmembers deserve a pay raise. The council will decide on Monday.
Currently, councilmembers earn $1,455 per month for the part-time job. By law, the council could raise its pay a maximum of 10%, pushing the rate to $1,601 per month.
Two years ago, the council decided to tie their raises to what city staff received. Depending on which years are examined, that can mean either a 4% or 6.5% bump.
“If all executives and line staff have received a raise, I will support a similar increase,” councilman Jose Flores said.
Councilman Vong Mouanoutoua said he wants to hear public input before making a decision.
Mayor Drew Bessinger and Bob Whalen said they wanted to study the issue before making a comment.
Any increase would not go into effect until a new council term started. The next election is March 2021. The seats of Lynne Ashbeck and Mouanoutoua are up for reelection then.
Nasreen Johnson is the Union’s poster girl. She is incapable of coming up with her own ideas.
Abena……seriously? Your skin color qualifies you? You are watching too much television.
You definately are a closed minded bigot .. no charater and no intellect.
YOur comments are hateful and unnecessary.
MGomez Those were my first thoughts. I’m from a minority of minority group who have lived here in Clovis for over 31 years and and 45 in the US but refuse to use my minority status or skin color or gender to get advancement in other words I EARNED EVERYTHING I am and have. Why is it that people think their skin color matters and not their character and what they actually stood for and done in their lives so far. Sick of people seeking favors and votes based on their skin color or gender or ethnic make-up!
The majority of the board is a giant rubber stamp for the chancellor who is toxic and a liability for the district. Let’s be real, most of these people are either narcissistic politicians or business minded developers who in the end only make decisions that benefit the students as a knee jerk reaction to public disapproval. Caglia here states that the position is for people who have an interest in “investing in the region”… he’s got a lot of interest alright. Look at how much money he’s donated to every politician on Fresno city council. He’s also managed to buy silence from other SCCCD board members who might dare endorse anyone who challenge him. He’s (Caglia) been in the seat since 2008 and couldn’t even get a parking structure FCC, his own area! He voted for a 12% raise for the chancellor, seems to be blind to the degrading morale at state center. And Payne, has the optics of someone who fights for the community but let the real story be told in his voting record. The recent highlight of his blunders is voting for the follet contract, which was a sh** cascade for FCC. Leal…well seems nice enough but very much a pushover, time for new energy in that seat too.
I second that!! This board needs new blood. More teachers/employees friendly. The struggles we go through at City college is more then people know. Vote for change!
I really appreciate your comments, any suggestions as to who are the better candidates that
really care our schools and communities, and not their personal or business interest?
So happy to see few have woken up. From my vantage point it’s all corrupt politics as usual. We must re-structure our entire education industry (yes it’s an industry) from ground up from curriculum to compensation to how the administration is done.
No amateurs, we need solid community leaders. We gamble on someone new who isn’t even from Fresno area with no skin in the game and we get corruption. New isn’t always better especially if their track record is poor.
As far as selecting a teacher this role is more than curriculum there is a lot of community outreach involved being able to sell an idea to better places like FCC and get ” buy in” from community.
The image is also important, and unfortunately FCC because it hosted talks with Bernie Sanders a known socialist and other controversial speakers and teachers who are failed members of Fresno City Council…the reputation its getting is not one of diversity of thought but only socialism though.
That is a danger to any organization . You need tried and true leadership, those that know how to get things done instead of sitting talking about how everything should be paid for by taxpayers.
When one quacks like a duck walks like a duck…SCCCD is a liberal lefty institution. I attended and transferred out of two campuses back in the day and all I see and hear is that it’s worse now.