Patterson Irrigator

Your Voice.
written by Rudy P. Aguilar , September 25, 2007

I totally agree with Mrs. Johnson. Could you please e-mail her letter and this letter to Mayor Campos and the City Council. If not, please let me know so I can. We moved here in 2006 and have the exact sentiments that she has. I'm sure many home-owners here feel the same way. We need some retail stores to bring in the much needed tax dollars to Patterson. Our City Council says that it wants to keep this a small town, but is allowing new homes to be built everywhere, have thoughts of low-income housing units being built, have a new fire house and want more sheriffs personal. Also, what about the Modesto J.C. that has been approved? Just where do they think these new students and family members want to work and where do they expect them to go shopping? Most of us end up supporting the tax dollars in Turlock and Modesto and many other places rather than here. Are the council members that naive to see what's happening? They can't have it both ways. There needs to be a drastic change in Patterson's master plan. Don't forget about Diablo Grande. From what I've been reading, they want to extract themselves from Patterson and have their own town. Complete with golf courses and shopping centers. Then there's the Crow's Landing issue. Looks like Patterson will be on the outside looking in. What's next?
The Mayor and the Council need to think about Patterson's future. Has our Council read the statistics for the future population here? They need to take a giant leap forward and be ahead of the growth. It's time they thought about the future and I mean right now. To lure these new home-owners in, and the much needed tax dollars, they need to show that they're willing to change and improve this town to welcome them and their families. Make it lucrative and more inticing for them to want to move here. Other-wise, we will be getting much more crime and violence for sure. Their concerns should be for our young adults. There's nothing for this new group of of kids to do here. No-where to go and be productive to this society. They need good paying jobs locally so maybe this generation will be able to afford a house to purchase here and call Patterson home. Come on people, take a step forward and bring in some big retail stores. Let's get some jobs and tax revenue here and help this town grow. The past is behind us, it's time to move forward.
Thank You Very Much,
Mr. Rudy Aguilar

The Lost and Confused Johnson Family!
written by Steve Fezler , September 26, 2007

Just likr the Johnson family, I moved here to patterson with my family, but I moved here in 1993. The population then was 6900. Unlike the Johnson's, I did my research before moving my family here. I knew there was no jobs here, and that is why I continue to work outside of Patterson. Like most of our recent transplants to this great city of Patterson, which I am proud to call home, came from the Bay Area. We need to stop living in the Bay Area, this town will always be small. If you miss all the luxuries of the Big Box stores then move back.
I have been to maybe 3 City Council Meetings since I moved here. I sat and listen last night about the communities concerns of the recent fights at Patterson High. I comment was read that one citizen thinks we should go back to our own Police Officers instead of the Sheriffs Department. We had that once, and I will tell you, there was always only (2) officers on duty at night.
Dont bash our law enforcement, and dont bash our Fire Department. Certainly you must had done some type of research prior to moving here. Like checked on the schooling facilities, did you read that our fire department is made up of volunteer's. In the past year that has changed. We now have six paid firefighter's and three paid Chiefs. The fire department is made up of approximately 36-45 volunteers, with a total of approximately 100 volunteer's within the West Stanislaus Fire Protection District. That is more firefighters than Modesto City has between 11 stations, and West Stan Fire has 6 stations. Their response time is less than 3 minutes. There is always 2 firefighter on duty 24-7 not to mention the Chiefs that are always on duty. You want to help out your community? Volunteer your time, join the fire department. Is age a factor? Then join the STAR program with the Sheriffs department. I will leave you with the words of a firefighter, maybe you should walk in the shoes of one:.

For Mrs. Johnson
written by Steve Fezler , September 26, 2007

.



" I Wish You Could "

I wish you could see

the sadness of a business man as his livelihood goes up in flames

or that family returning home,

only to find their house and belongings damaged or destroyed.



I wish you could know

what it is to search a burning bedroom for trapped children,

flames rolling above your head, your palms and knees burning as you crawl,

the floor sagging under your weight as the kitchen beneath you burns.



I wish you could comprehend

a wife's horror at 3 A.M. as I check her husband of forty years for a pulse and find none.

I start CPR anyway, hoping against the odds to bring him back,

knowing intuitively it is too late.

But wanting his wife and family to know everything possible was done.



I wish you could know

the unique smell of burning insulation, the taste of soot-filled mucus,

the feeling of intense heat through your turnout gear, the sound of flames crackling,

and the eeriness of being able to see absolutely nothing in dense smoke

sensations that I have become too familiar with.



I wish you could understand

how it feels to go to work in the morning after having spent most of the

night, hot and soaking wet at a multiple alarm fire.



I wish you could read

my mind as I respond to a building fire, 'Is this a false alarm or a working, breathing fire?

How is the building constructed? What hazards await me?

Is anyone trapped or are they all out?'

or to an EMS call, 'What is wrong with the patient?

Is it minor or life-threatening? Is the caller really in distress

or is he waiting for us with a 2x4 or a gun?'



I wish you could be

in the emergency room as the doctor pronounces dead the beautiful little

five-year old girl that I have been trying to save during the past twenty-five

minutes, who will never go on her first date or say the words,

"I love you Mommy," again.



I wish you could know

the frustration I feel in the cab of the engine, the driver with his foot

pressing down hard on the pedal, my arm tugging again and again at the

air horn chain, as you fail to yield right-of-way at an intersection or

in traffic. When you need us, however, your first comment upon our arrival

will be, "It took you forever to get here!"



I wish you could read

my thoughts as I help extricate a girl of teenage years from the mangled remains

of her automobile, 'What if this were my sister, my girlfriend, or a friend?

What were her parents' reactions going to be

as they open the door to find a police officer,



I wish you could know

how it feels to walk in the back door and greet my parents and family,

not having the heart to tell them that I nearly did not come home from

this last call.



I wish you could feel

my hurt as people verbally, and sometimes physically,

abuse us or belittle what we do, or as they express their attitudes of,

It will never happen to me.



I wish you could realize

the physical, emotional, and mental drain of missed meals, lost sleep, and

forgone social activities, in addition to all the tragedy my eyes have viewed.



I wish you could know

the brotherhood and self-satisfaction of helping save a life or preserving someone's

property, of being there in times of crisis, or creating order from total CHAOS.



I wish you could understand

what it feels like to have a little boy tugging on your arm and asking,

"Is my Mommy O.K.?" Not even being able to look in his eyes without

tears falling from your own and not knowing what to say. Or to have to hold

back a long-time friend who watches his buddy having rescue breathing done on him as they

take him away in the ambulance. You knowing all along he did not have his seat belt on.

Sensations that I have become too familiar with.



Unless you have lived

this kind of life, you will never truly understand or appreciate

who I am, what we are, or what our job really means to us.



I WISH YOU COULD!

The Prop 13 loophole known as Mello Roos
written by cstovall , October 05, 2007

I agree with Mrs Johnson and the first comment. The amount of taxes placed on new residents is rediculous! And yes its disclosed up front before you buy. That doesn't mean you automaticaly have to like paying for it. The bennefits just arent there. Its been 2 years and Sperry Rd is still under construction. Has this city council ever heard of charging liquidated damages to contractors who cant get the job done in a timely maner? Iam suppried that a city full of republicans would approve so many tax increases. Other cities have had Mello Roos reduced or removed but Im not sure how you would get that on a ballot. Were probably still outnumbered by the amount of people who don't pay Mello Roos and would vote to keep it. One thing is for sure, you can count on me to never ever vote for any type of tax increase until my Mello Roos tax is done.