Seven vie for top Lindsay City Council seats

The November 6 Lindsay City Council Race is heating up as seven candidates vie for the top three spots. Running this year are the three incumbents Mayor Ed Murray, Mayor Pro Temp Esteban Velasquez, Council member Pam Kimball, all of whom were the target of a recall.

Newcomers Steven Mecum, Timothy Daubert, Rosaena Sanchez, and Eric Eugene Perfecto Sinclair round out the ballot. If elected the three new council members will serve a term of four years. Here are the profile snapshots of the seven contenders starting with the incumbents.  

Mayor Ed Murray is a native of Loma Linda and has lived in Lindsay since 1974. He is the general manager of Orange Belt Supply. His experience on the council spans 16 years with the past 11 years as Mayor. His goals include the increasement of the town revenue, keeping up with street projects and programs and making sure the budget is balanced. He believes the current council has contributed positively to the community.

“We’ve done a good job making Lindsay a better place to live and we’ll continue in that direction,” said Murray.

 Mayor Pro Temp Velasquez is a database manager for the Corcoran Unified School District. Born in Texas, Velasquez has been a Lindsay resident for the past 31 years. He has served on the council for the past 14 years. His goals include supporting local businesses and boosting the economy.

“I want to help them grow and be more accessible to the region,” stated Velaquez who added that he will work with the Tulare County Economic Development Corporation to develop a marketing strategy. He believes that his experience on the council gives him an edge.“ I’ve been able to beautify the community, develop new streets and sidewalks, and I work well with the district,” added Velasquez. “ I have contacts with the state and federal governments. The relationships have already been established that we need to grow the community.”

Council member Pam Kimball is a Lindsay native who has served on the council since 2001. Her work experience includes substitute teaching, working in her family’s nursery and floral shop and she is a former homemaker. She has dedicated her time to many community organizations including the Lindsay Community Theater, the Lindsay-Ono Sister City Organization and is also actively involved in her church. Her goals include economic development and would like her constituents to know that she cares.

“I don’t have a personal agenda. I’m here to serve and give back,” said Kimball.

Steven Mecum a resident of Lindsay since 1994 wants change.

“I want to fix the waste, fraud, abuse and corruption that’s going on in Lindsay. I’ve disliked what they’ve done. Things have to be done better,” said Mecum a correctional officer at the Corcoran State Prison. For the past two years he has been a major critic of the current council, former City Manager Scot Townsend and his salary, water rates and other issues.  In November 2010 he requested copies of the city’s public records which amounted to almost $12,000. He is still asking for different documents.

“The one thing they outright refused to give me was the credit card statements [of the city staffers.],” added Mecum. His goal is to open up the government and will accomplish this by forming a few commissions including a city planning commission and a finance committee.

The former will meet regularly to submit plans and projects while the latter will focus on city finances and ways to save money.

“I think it could be better spent, there’s a lot of pay and overhead,” stated Mecum who added that if elected he will place the power back into the hands of the people.

Timothy Daubert was born in Oklahoma and has lived in Lindsay for the past 15 years. A former long haul truck driver, who is now disabled, he is running for the council because he is fed up.

“When I first found out that the same people were going to run I couldn’t allow it. It’s supposed to be a government of the people, by the people, and not of ourselves” said Daubert.  Among his goals are giving tax breaks and incentives to all the businesses in Lindsay, making sure the streets are fixed and forming an oversight committee which will focus on the police department.

“Three have been reports that some police have been abusing their power,” stated Daubert.

If elected he will make sure that tax money is spent in a correct manner.

Rosaena Sanchez is a native of Lindsay and her reason for running is simple.
“I feel like people here in Lindsay are not being heard. I’ve been coming to the meetings for two years and my questions have never been answered,” explained Sanchez a self-sufficiency counselor. Her goals include the improvement of the Olive Bowl and creating a place for the local kids where they do not have to pay in order to participate.

“[In Lindsay], everything a kid can do you have to pay to get in,” said Sanchez. “ I want to create somewhere they can go and play and they don’t have to pay.”

Eric Eugene Perfecto Sinclair is a native of Lindsay and a former Navy veteran who is currently unemployed. In the past has worked a multitude of jobs including being a facilities manager for a group home. His focus is on the economy as well.

“To bring more businesses and get them involved and create local jobs,” said Sinclair. His goals include taking care of the elderly in Lindsay, improving the downtown  and working on the water supply. “The trailer park water is not good at all,” explained Sinclair.