A Clovis care facility for terminal patients will move forward after the Clovis City Council denied an appeal Monday night.

After an 80-minute debate, the city council voted 4-0 to deny the appeal.

ARK Congregate Living wants to build a 6,000-square-foot, 18-bed facility for live-in terminal patients at 2901/2939 Armstrong Ave. (between Ashlan and Gettysburg avenues). Residents objected, citing among other concerns, privacy and traffic.

Several neighbors asked the council to approve a smaller facility.

The operator agreed to build a 6-foot block wall and increase the space between the building and walls. The city said the facility would not increase noise or light glare. To alleviate concerns about parking, the operator agreed to increase the number of stalls to 11, plus street parking.

Councilmember Drew Bessinger said he inspected the area where the facility will be built and liked what he saw. Vong Mouanoutoua said he trusts the public to hold the council accountable and ensure the facility is a good neighbor.

“A city that cares for the least amongst us, we will reap blessings and rewards in the end,” Mouanoutoua said.

After the facility received planning commission approval in June, the city council appealed to decide the issue — sparing residents having to pay an appeal fee.

Mouanoutoua, Bessinger, Matt Basgall, and Diane Pearce voted to deny the appeal. Mayor Lynne Ashbeck was absent.

Bus Maker’s Mistake is $45,000 Gift to City

One installer’s mistake is the city of Fresno’s gift.

The city contracted with Livermore-based Gillig, LLC for 12 compressed natural gas buses. Fresno opted not to buy the buses with Thermo King air purification systems because of the extra cost.

By mistake, Gillig installed the purifiers anyway.

“(Gillig representative Tim) McCunney stated in email communication that Gillig would prefer to leave the system on the 12 buses free of charge, as removing the system equipment would jeopardize the timeliness of the bus build and therefore would not be cost-effective.”

The Fresno City Council is scheduled to vote Thursday to accept the gift, a total of $45,246 (including tax).

Boudreaux Unhappy to Be in Harris Ad

Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux has a message for presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris — I don’t support you and stop using my image.

Fox News reported a new Harris ad on border security features images from a news conference, with Boudreaux in the background. The Republican sheriff said the event took place in 2013, when Harris was the California attorney general.

“The Sheriff wants to make it abundantly clear that his image is being used without his permission, and he does NOT endorse Harris for President or any other political office,” Boudreaux told Fox News Digital.

The sheriff and Tulare County District Attorney Tim Ward criticized were critical of Harris’s drug prosecution record in comments to Fox News.

Boudreaux, R-Springville, ran for Congress earlier this year, losing a special election to now-Congressman Vince Fong, R-Bakersfield. Boudreaux will be on the November ballot for the full-term seat. However, he’s no longer campaigning and has endorsed Fong.

No Clovis Council Opponents

Clovis voters will see only two names on the ballot for two positions at the Nov. 5 election.

Incumbents Lynne Ashbeck and Vong Mouanoutoua are seeking re-election. Two other candidates, Guy Redner and David Flum, pulled papers, but did not return them to run.

Fresno County Clerk James Kus said the election will remain on the ballot, since there is another a city measure to be decided — a 1% sales tax hike. Voters could still chose qualified write-in candidates.

Political Events in Town

There are two upcoming political events of note taking place in Fresno.

Saturday, the California Legislative Black Caucus and California Black Freedom Fund holds its “State of Black California” event. Several legislators and leaders will talk among other things the proposed reparations package.

Scheduled to speak are Assemblymembers Lori Wilson, D-Suisun (a Fresno native), and Corey Jackson, D-Perris. The event is at the Fresno Veterans Memorial Auditorium, 9:30 a.m. until 1 p.m.

On Aug. 24, former state Controller Betty Yee will keynote the National Women’s Political Caucus dinner, 6 p.m. at the Omnia Event Center (760 W. Bullard Avenue, Fresno).

Yee is running for governor in 2026.

NWPC will also honor Fresno City Councilmember Luis Chavez, Fresno Unified Trustee Elizabeth Jonasson Rosas — Chavez and Jonasson Rosas are married to each other — and two women who ran for office in March — Jen Cruz, and Raj Sodhi-Layne.