Lemoore City Council welcomes Kings Economic Development Corp. back to the fold

Only Councilmember Holly Blair decided to turn her back on the EDC and instead lashed out at an organization that she insisted “haven’t produced in the past.”

The Kings EDC had a positive 45-year relationship with the Kings EDC that ended in 2014 when a different city manager and council voted 3-2 to discontinue its relationship. At that time Mayor Lois Wynne and councilmembers Billy Siegel and newcomer Jeff Chedester voted to dump the EDC.

Lemoore Councilmember Holly Blair

During budget negotiations that year, a budget committee consisting of Mayor Wynn, Siegel and then City Manager Jeff Laws furtively removed the EDC from the budget.

At the time the City of Lemoore was paying the EDC $37,000 per year for its services.

Blair was outnumbered by councilmembers but pulled no punches. “We’ve already had this discussion before, and I personally don’t like a precedent being set that we as a council decide one thing and they can justify continuing to come in, and badger and hopefully get it on a consent calendar,” she said.

“I for one am tired of it. They (EDC) haven’t produced in the past. We made note of that in the last discussion that we had about this and voted no."

In October when councilmembers discussed rejoining the EDC, they failed to have a vote.  A motion to renew the relationship was offered, but it died for lack of a second.

Blair’s justification that the EDC has failed the City of Lemoore is at best a weak revision of EDC’s history with Lemoore. At that 2014 December council meeting, former Lemoore City Manager Steven Froberg testified that the EDC’s contributions have been many and consistent, citing numerous EDC contributions during his seven-year term as the city’s manager.

At the time Froberg was on the ground floor of many economic development projects, including the Leprino West plant that ultimately created a thousand or more jobs. Froberg told councilmembers at the time that nearly all projects in Lemoore were with the cooperation and assistance of the EDC.

“The only thing I can do is tell you what happened when I was city manager,” said the former city manager.  “I can tell you that every project that I worked on … it usually involved city staff, often times West Hills College, and many other times it also included NAS Lemoore - and it always included the Kings Economic Development Corporation. They always dropped whatever they were doing, came over here, and met with whatever business, whatever enterprise.”

Froberg said the Kings EDC was always a part of the action. “I can tell you unequivocally that the successes we had from when I was here, Kings EDC was an integral part. John Lehn and Jay Salyer bring a whole lot of experience and knowledge, and more importantly to us – connections.”

He said that the expansion of the original Leprino factory - Leprino West, SK Foods, Agusa, Budget Call Center - were all done with the assistance of the Kings EDC. “I can stand here and tell you, their focus is on industrial and manufacturing, but they also helped us out in some commercial enterprises.”

He also stated that the Lemoore Stadium Cinemas was one such project, saying that the Kings EDC provided an essential loan to the developer.

At Tuesday's meeting, Councilmember Eddie Neal supported the Kings EDC after hearing from other sources, like the California EDC. A Cal-EDC representative appeared before the council recently and cited its close working relationship with the state’s many county economic organizations. “Cal EDC came in and did a great presentation, and they work together with Kings EDC (and together) with multiple cities.”

Neal insisted he has faith in the EDC: “I know they’re going to go the extra mile, and the Cal-EDC presentation was phenomenal. I’m here to push for them to come back, and give them a second chance.”

“I’m willing to do anything within reason for economic development,” said Councilmember Dave Brown. “I think that in the past we didn’t have much contract oversight. We have contract oversight on it now. We have a statement of work from Kings EDC that states what they’re going to do and have milestones they have to make. If they don’t then we can adjust accordingly.”

Mayor Ray Madrigal echoed Brown’s sentiments: “They are someone we definitely need on board. They’ve proven themselves. They’re a local organization. They also work with the state. I think when Cal EDC came here after that vote, (it enlightened) us and (helped us to understand) that we need to have a local entity like Kings EDC.

“They also believe that the approach we are taking is a very solid approach with CrisCom and EDC working hand in hand. I think it’s going to strengthen us,” said Madrigal, “and I think it’s going to have a positive effect on us. I said that last time and my mind hasn’t changed. I think we need them on board.”