Merced County Board of Supervisors candidates, District 4: Rich Ford

Rich Ford of Gustine says his experience in local government combined with his knowledge as a business owner makes him a fit candidate for District 4 supervisor.

Ford, 57, was born in La Grange and has lived in Gustine most of his life. He owns and operates his family’s farm equipment business, Ford’s Farm Supply.

Ford married his high school sweetheart, Lori, and they have one daughter, MacKenzie. She and her husband, Jarrett Martin, have a 4-year-old daughter, Brinley.

In the early 1980s, Ford began participating in public service through the Gustine Recreation Commission. From there, he served on the Merced County Parks and Recreation Commission. In 1986, he was elected to the Gustine City Council. He was appointed mayor for the first time in the early ’90s, then elected twice in 2006 and 2008. Ford currently serves on the Merced County Planning Commission.

“I’m always interested in public service,” Ford said. “I think my ideas and the experience and background I have are beneficial to the decisions for the county.”

Q: The Merced County Sheriff’s Office is facing a high vacancy rate as veteran deputies leave to better-paying jobs. As supervisor, how would you retain sheriff’s deputies, and what would you consider a fair compensation package?

A: We need to have our salary and benefit package be comparable with competing agencies. We cannot afford to lose our veteran deputies, especially at a time when we are so shorthanded. It takes several months of training to get a new deputy on the street, and that still cannot replace the knowlege and street savvy of an experienced deputy. I would like to look into the prospect of a countywide public safety district to fund higher compensation for veteran deputies, more deputies per capita and more funding for the jail system.

Q: Each supervisor is allocated $40,000 every fiscal year to use as they please. Typically, supervisors choose to spend the money on community projects or nonprofit organizations. The leftover amount at the end of each fiscal year rolls over to the next. Do you agree with this policy? Why or why not?

A: I know this has been a controversial issue, but this policy allows the supervisors to help fund projects that come up in their district during the budget year. Some of the projects may not have been included in the budget or are not of importance to the supervisors from other districts. The district supervisors should have a close relationship with their specific communities to know the needs of the citizens they represent.

Q: Crime statistics show violent and property crimes in Merced County are on the rise. How should the Sheriff’s Office tackle crime in the county?

A: We need to bring the Sheriff’s Office up to full staffing levels as soon as possible, increase the amount of deputies and build a robust gang and homicide task force to drive the criminals out of our county. The only thing that will curb the crime is law enforcement presence and citizen involvement.

Q: What should be done to spur economic development in Merced County?

A: We need to encourage local businesses to expand by providing a streamlined permit process. We also need to meet with the local agriculture businesses to find out what services and processing facilities they use from outside the county. We could recruit them to relocate in Merced County or find a another company willing to come to Merced County and provide these services. Ag is the life blood of Merced County, and we need to capitalize on it. Offer incentives to companies to locate at Castle. UC Merced should be involved in pursuing the medical industry to locate labs, research facilities and other medical-related businesses.

Q: Merced County has been negotiating a revenue-sharing agreement with city governments for about 10 years. The agreement would help cities win authorization to annex land and provide services such as sewer and water to new developments. In your opinion, what needs to be done to finalize the agreement?

A: Each city has different levels of service that they need from the county. These services should be provided at a fair cost per service provided and calculated at a percentage of property taxes. They will need to be reviewed on a regular basis to evaluate the inflation factor of property values to see if the formula is still accurate and fair to both parties.

Q: The county allows residents with a medical marijuana card to grow 12 plants per parcel. Do you agree with medical and/or recreational marijuana use? Do you think the county should change its policy on marijuana? If so, what kind of policy would you propose?

A: Recreational marijuana use is illegal in California, so it is not under the jurisdiction of the county. Medical marijuana should be regulated on a countywide basis so every jurisdiction is using the same rules. There should be a permit process in place so law enforcement officials are aware of which grows are legal and which ones are not.

Q: Do you support high-speed rail coming through the Central Valley, specifically Merced? How do you think the High-Speed Rail Authority’s current proposed plan, which bypasses Merced, will affect the county?

A: I believe high-speed rail was a big mistake since the time the authority picked the route through the prime farmland of the Valley instead of using the Interstate 5 corridor. The project will cost too much to build and too much to ride. The better plan would be to improve the Amtrak system. It already is an affordable way to travel, but does not serve enough of the state efficiently.

Q: The Merced County Association of Governments is proposing a half-cent tax to be placed on the November ballot to improve county roads. Would you support this tax? Why or why not?

A: Unless it sets aside specific funding for rural road improvement and the Board of Supervisors commits to higher funding levels from the general fund for road improvements, I will not support the proposal.

Q: California is emerging from a historic, five-year drought that has impacted the Central Valley’s agricultural economy particularly hard. Moving forward, how should Merced County proceed on water-related issues?

A: Merced County needs to join forces with the irrigation districts in the county and form a joint powers agreement to work on groundwater recharge projects, more surface-water storage and the groundwater sustainability plan that will be required in the near future. The county does not have water rights to use for recharge projects, which affects municipal water use and future residential and commercial growth.

Q: If elected, what would be your top priority?

A: My top priority will be to bring the Sheriff’s Office to full staffing and fund a robust gang and homicide task force as soon as possible. My second priority would be to begin funding road improvements in the rural areas of the county.

This story was originally published April 28, 2016 at 5:04 PM with the headline "Merced County Board of Supervisors candidates, District 4: Rich Ford."