Madrigal, Chedester: The right stuff for Lemoore City Council

Both have a breadth of knowledge and experience that will serve them well as they cope with the challenges facing this community in the next few months - and years. Or course there are always going to be challenges in guiding this city, and it will take a special kind of person to navigate these rough waters in an honest, fair and astute way. The Leader believes that Madrigal and Chedester will rise above the unfortunate pettiness and uncertainties of the past couple two years and do what is in the best interest of Lemoore.

Like most small communities, Lemoore will always be on a mission to make life better for its citizens, to create jobs, provide for the safety of its citizens, and strive to achieve – as our founders decreed so long ago -  “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.”

Lemoore has always strived to be the best, and it has always been an attractive, vibrant community, proud of its schools, faithful to its citizens, and honored by its unwavering relationship with its partners to the west, those amazing warriors who routinely protect not only our liberties, but also the nation’s as well.

We must not only maintain that status quo but also endeavor to improve upon it and create a more perfect quality of life.

At some point in the past two years some of our leaders have strayed, intent on branding their own selfish identity onto the face of this community. And quite often it hasn’t been pretty. We need new leaders who will rise above the petty politics – which has no place in small town America – and return to a time when our leaders worked diligently to maintain and improve upon the quality of life.

That includes creating a climate that welcomes with open arms anyone who desires to do business here, including the promotion of not only retail business, but also industrial. We need to dismiss the notion of selling off our assets – properties that promote a better quality of life – and instead improve upon those assets so that they will be enjoyed for decades by future citizens.

Above all we need leaders who refuse to demean and deride honest citizens seeking answers and instead welcome open, no-holds barred discourse.

Ray Madrigal, a lifelong resident of Lemoore, comes to the city council following a  sterling 30-year career in the California Highway Patrol, where he distinguished himself by rising to the rank of Commander and eventually commanding  an entire CHP District in Northern California. He knows budgets, he understands people and he earned the respect of his fellow officers. Without a doubt he has the leadership needed to guide the City of Lemoore. He has already earned the respect of many of our citizens.

In his short term on the council he has displayed many of the traits worthy of a leader. He listens to citizens, asks relevant questions and based on his actions, has only the future of his community at heart.

Madrigal has already displayed his leadership credentials by recently voting to oust the Mayor from his position, the first Lemoore mayor ever asked to step down by councilmembers. It took a lot of thought and a healthy dose of pragmatism to make that kind of serious decision, but in the end, it had to be made.

Chedester is also a local boy, having lived in Lemoore for the past 20 years while raising his family here. He is a local businessman and we believe he has the tools and the foresight to bring a business-like common sense to the council, something it desperately needs.

A former Valley wrestling champion, Chedester has a calm demeanor and a friendly smile that will go far. Like Madrigal he seems to have the patience, intelligence and positive attitude that will make Lemoore’s citizens proud.

It is with these thoughts in mind that when voters go to the polls on November 4, they keep these two gentlemen in mind.