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Fate of Historic Locomotive Part of Packed Fresno Council Agenda
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By David Taub, Senior Reporter
Published 2 years ago on
September 28, 2022

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What happens when the Fresno City Council goes four weeks between meetings?

A huge agenda is scheduled for Thursday. One councilmember told GV Wire to expect a 10-hour day at the minimum.

The agenda from the mysteriously canceled Sept. 15 meeting will carry over to Thursday.

The City Council will discuss the fate of Roeding Park’s iconic train, as well as issues ranging from transparency, housing and much more.

Will Council Come Clean?

Last month, an outside attorney for the City Council recommended that a vote taken in closed session, regarding the criminal case of City Council President Nelson Esparza, should be disclosed to the public.

The council voted on June 23 to pay for Esparza’s legal defense. At the time of that vote, Esparza had a civil defamation suit pending against fellow City Councilman Garry Bredefeld.

When Esparza was charged on July 18 with attempted extortion against the city attorney, the prior vote was interpreted to cover Esparza’s criminal defense as well.

The City Council is scheduled to discuss Esparza’s case again in closed session on Thursday. It is unknown if they will finally reveal how, or why, taxpayers are covering the costs of Esparza’s attorneys.

Concerned about leaks to the media, councilmen Garry Bredefeld and Mike Karbassi are proposing a discussion on “general enforcement approaches to address illegal disclosures of confidential closed session communications to the media that have taken place over the past two years.”

Exact details of what enforcement mechanisms have yet to be made public.

More Tower Theatre Fees Revealed

The cost for a commercial entity to rent the Tower Theatre will depend on the time. Renting from 6 p.m. to midnight will run $1,500.

Renting from 8 a.m. to 12 noon; or 12 noon until 6 p.m. cost $800.

That information is revealed in city documents accompanying a planned discussion on Thursday. Nonprofits renting the theater will receive a discount.

The city purchased the theater in April for $6.5 million (the deal closed in July). A lawsuit filed by Adventure Church — which, at one point, had a deal to purchase the venue — was dropped. Church leaders have been quiet on the decision.

Want to rent the Tower Theatre? Prime time costs $1,500. (GV Wire/Albert Baker)

Goodbye Train?

Southern Pacific Engine 1238 has greeted visitors to Roeding Park for decades, since 1956. It is located — behind fencing — on the Belmont Avenue side of the park, near the Fresno Chaffee Zoo.

But, the city wants to send the train down the tracks to Kingsburg. The City Council will decide on Thursday whether to donate the black engine to the Kingsburg Depot museum at no cost.

Why?

A staff report cites the cost of maintenance and vandalism.

The Kingsburg Depot would be responsible for moving the train and keeping it accessible to the public.

The Fresno City Council may donate a train engine, at Roeding Park since 1956 (above) to the Kingsburg Depot museum (below). (GV Wire/David Taub)
(GV Wire/Paul Marshall)

Measure M/Measure C Consultants

The City Council is scheduled to vote on approving two consulting contracts valued at $750,000 for work related to measures on the November ballot.

Measure M, which would raise the city of Fresno sales tax one-eight of a cent (0.125%) for veterans programs and facilities, was placed on the ballot by the City Council last July. The council wants to pay Local Government Strategic Consulting $500,000 to educate the public about the proposed tax increase. Technically, a government cannot directly advocate for or against a measure.

The consulting firm is operated by Alex Tavlian, known for his conservative activism, and Jim Verros.

The group is already working on the effort by way of a $145,000 consulting contract approved last year.

The city also wants to pay local advertising company Jeffrey Scott Agency $250,000 for “education” on Measure C, which would extend the existing county sales tax for transportation another 30 years.

Normally, contracts in such amounts would need to go through a bidding process. However, if the city manager finds that the firms are “uniquely qualified” — as they have been designated — the City Council can skip the bidding.

But, Wait, There’s More

Other items on the Fresno City Council’s schedule:

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David Taub,
Senior Reporter
Curiosity drives David Taub. The award-winning journalist might be shy, but feels mighty with a recorder in his hand. He doesn't see it his job to "hold public officials accountable," but does see it to provide readers (and voters) the information needed to make intelligent choices. Taub has been honored with several writing awards from the California News Publishers Association. He's just happy to have his stories read. Joining GV Wire in 2016, Taub covers politics, government and elections, mainly in the Fresno/Clovis area. He also writes columns about local eateries (Appetite for Fresno), pro wrestling (Off the Bottom Rope), and media (Media Man). Prior to joining the online news source, Taub worked as a radio producer for KMJ and PowerTalk 96.7 in Fresno. He also worked as an assignment editor for KCOY-TV in Santa Maria, California, and KSEE-TV in Fresno. He has also worked behind the scenes for several sports broadcasts, including the NCAA basketball tournament, and the Super Bowl. When not spending time with his family, Taub loves to officially score Fresno Grizzlies games. Growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, Taub is a die-hard Giants and 49ers fan. He graduated from the University of Michigan with dual degrees in communications and political science. Go Blue! You can contact David at 559-492-4037 or at Send an Email

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