Mayor candidates talk priorities

Merced’s economic development, mayoral priorities and the pet projects of candidates were common talking points this week during a forum for the city’s mayoral hopefuls.

The Merced County League of Women Voters hosted the forum Monday evening at the Merced County Office of Education.

Josh Pedrozo, a Merced High School teacher, said development ranked high on his list of priorities along with unifying the city and changing the way people talk about Merced.

“It’s about changing the narrative for the city of Merced, and you need a mayor that’s going to be a champion for the city,” he said.

On the City Council since 2009, he said strengthening partnerships with area schools and colleges could provide a stronger workforce in Merced.

Economic development, homelessness and public safety are common hot button issues in every community, said Necola Adams, who owns The Cookie Lady’s Bakery & Cafe in Merced.

“Those are not my hot (button topics),” she said.

Instead, Adams pushed her plans for creating a nut-themed festival in town. She said the annual event could bring in tourist dollars as a destination event, something like what the Garlic Festival does for Gilroy.

She went on to say she wants to implement youth employment programs and unify Merced’s diverse community. “We really have to unite ourselves together if we really want to become a whole city,” she said. “A rising tide (lifts) all boats.”

Noah Lor, who has been on the City Council since 2007, ran off a list of priorities heavy on youth programs and services. He said he’d move, in his first 90 days in office, to have youth council members sit alongside the City Council during regular meetings.

“Every project the city puts out will require (the hiring) of youth,” he said. “That’s very important. We have billions of dollars (in) contracts out, and we need to include our youth.”

He also championed a tricycle park, what he described as a recreational area for small children.

One-term Councilman Mike Murphy said in order to achieve goals, they must be “specific and achievable.”

“Just to say economic development or public safety or quality of life, youth development and partnerships is not a goal for me,” he said. “It’s not specific.”

Murphy, who practices business law in town, said his goals included solidifying an “anchor tenant” at the Mission Avenue interchange, filling half of downtown Merced’s vacant retail space, opening the Boys and Girls Club on the weekends and adding three to five police officers a year, to name a few.

Organizers filmed the forum and the video is expected to be uploaded to the League of Women Voters’ website this week, www.lwvmercedco.org.

This story was originally published September 27, 2016 at 3:08 PM with the headline "Mayor candidates talk priorities."