tool name

Friday, Nov. 20, 2009

Loose Lips: Sheriff may get some competition

Order! Order!

Even though it's already state law, Livingston's City Council tried Tuesday to approve an ordinance letting it kick out any rowdy residents disrupting their otherwise civil and well-run meetings.

Merced County Sheriff Mark Pazin must not be a student of baseball great Satchel Paige, who famously said, "Don't look back, something might be gaining on you."

The Pazinator's been looking backward, forward and toward the sky, presumably watching for his Huey helicopter, the latest addition to the Merced County Air Force. Who said Castle closed?

This leads us to wonder: perhaps something is gaining on him.

Word got around to Lips that Livingston's interim Police Chief Sharon Silva was considering a run for sheriff. If she's less-than-thrilled about being Livingston's chief, we can't imagine why she'd want to subject herself to elected office.

Silva didn't want to talk about it on the record.

Pazin, always willing to gab, said he'd heard the same chatter and brought it up when she called him about other business. She laughed and said it was incorrect.

Nevertheless, the sheriff's already building up his 2010 re-election war chest. No challengers have come forward, though there've been some names kicked around.

Lips will throw outgoing Mayor Ellie Wooten into the fray. After all, Pazin already deputized her.

During Wooten's farewell party last week, Pazin presented her with a "junior deputy badge."

"No, you don't get a gun," Pazin said. "I've seen you shoot."

Wooten looked at it and said she wanted it inscribed. Then she saw something better. "She was mesmerized by the gold lapel pin, which she promptly borrowed," Pazin recalled Thursday. "And I put 'borrow' in quotes."

Actually, the sheriff puts everything in quotes.

She still, in fact, has the pin. With good cause, Pazin said he's going to be careful next time he's around her.

For her next act, she could steal an endorsement.

The Merced County Sheriffs Employees Association endorsed Pazin several months back for his 2010 campaign. An easy decision, given there wasn't any opposition.

Lips heard some horse-trading went on for the backing, but couldn't nail anything down. Just as suddenly, the support evaporated.

Union spokesman and correctional officer Jeff Miller told us the association rescinded its endorsement because its new parent union, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, said it was far too early to pick a candidate. Or, maybe one of the horses never was delivered.

Lips figures Wooten, a proud Italian, could channel her heritage to secure the Teamster's support and challenge Pazin.

The town folk are up in arms over water hikes and talking recall. Clearly such uprisings must be quelled! The council's effort failed 2-2 because Councilman Frank Vierra was absent.

We're left with one question -- would the measure have applied to the city's elected leaders as well?

Loose Lips can be reached at editor@mercedsun-star.com.