Who Is Bullying Who?
Dear Editor,
Bullies, liars, fraud? The question is who is bullying who? Who is lying, and who is the real fraud? Things are getting ugly in the Linda Santos recall effort. With no legitimate answers to the recall committee’s detailed expose of Santos’ bad decisions; her supporters, headed by her good friend and business associate Robert Frobose, are doing what they do best: altering the facts, spinning stories, pointing fingers, and if that doesn’t work – bullying. Frobose, who along with Louis Brichetto is suing OID with Santos’ help, can’t accept the public’s decision that a recall should be held. He has contacted every possible agency in the state to try to stop the recall based on a handful of wild, vague and completely unsubstantiated complaints of fraud. The only agency that investigated was the Oakdale Police Department, who found no evidence of wrongdoing – case closed. But Frobose won’t let it go. Like a dog with a bone, he keeps gnawing away, figuring eventually if he yells loud enough and rants long enough, someone will believe him. But why should we expect anything less? Good Ol’ Boys Frobose and Brichetto figure that if they can send hand-delivered legal threats to your home, heckle you when you speak at OID meetings, they might be able to bully you into staying silent. They figure if Frobose loudly boos when you’re making public comments at OID meetings, then gets up in front of a crowd at another OID Board meeting, uses demeaning language to describe you, and falsely accuses you of wrongdoing, he might be able to turn public opinion against you. This summer Janie Gatzman publicly asked Frobose and Brichetto to join her in keeping the OID debate civil and respectful, and end their bullying tactics that have no place in our community. The Good Ol’ Boys just can’t help themselves though; when taken to task they simply deflect, defer, deny ... and double-down on their shady tactics. Wasn’t Santos supposed to be “taking on the Good Ol’ Boys” at OID? Why is she instead supporting the interests of these Good Ol’ Boys, including one who developed over 3,000 acres of out-of-district orchards? Who are the real bullies, who are the real liars, and who is the real fraud?
Deanne Dalrymple
Airport, City Systems Similar
Dear Editor,
How are the airport and city water/sewer systems alike?
All suffer from inept management, neglect, inadequate funding and fatal disrepair.
The total annual income from 8400 water customers, more than $3,000,000, might support one well replacement per year.
• Five wells are going bad?
• Another $8 million is needed for pipes?
• What is the cost per month to run the system with no rehab on wells or pipes?
• Maintenance-electricity-meter reading-billing
• What about the sewer pipe replacement over the river?
• Does the sewer income vs. system cost look just as bad?
At least you have more than 150 times the number of customers to spread the cost of water vs. the tiny airport roster. Monopoly of old airport buildings by Sierra West, doing all kinds of non-aviation activities, EAA home built airplanes and 21 rotting city hangars barely covers airport maintenance bills.
No commercial activity, established flying training or transportation activities exist. Invitations to aviation companies to come to Oakdale airport have not materialized.
It is time we had a more competent staff to execute the proper rehabilitation of streets, wells, pipes, water treatment and airport. Staff must present the real cash flow of the water/sewer system, not endless graphics to show typical family water bills. Water will flow, pipes will leak but can the airport be saved?
Everyone has to pay more into the system to have safe and secure services. If you don’t like the cost, move west 50 miles where you get half the house at twice the price and everything that goes with Bay Area costs.
Everyone would gladly pay more if they felt the price increase was justified. All the city does benefits a few and penalizes the rest by mismanagement.
Bill Bradford,
17-year tenant of airport and city
55 years of accident free flying
