The city of Lindsay may finally escape the financial trap its been in for most of the last decade–but the margin is razor thin, and a few votes that could swing the decision remain to be counted. On June 6, voters in the town of 13,000-plus just managed to approve Measure O, a 1% increase […]
The revolving door at Lindsay City Hall continues to spin. The beleaguered Citrus Belt city has a new mayor—needed after the abrupt departure of the old one—but the City Council is still short one member and applications are being taken for a finance director for the second time this year. Kimball Takes Charge Just two […]
Mayor Ramona Villarreal-Padilla has quit the Lindsay City Council. The announcement, which took her fellow council members flat-footed, came abruptly at the end of the October 11 meeting. After offering apologies for the coming surprise, Padilla dropped her bombshell. “Today will be my last day as mayor for the city of Lindsay,” she said. “I […]
Controversial Lindsay City Councilman Steve Mecum has resigned. The councilman notified City Hall of his departure by email earlier this month. The resignation became effective July 12. Interim City Manager Bill Zigler said they have had no other word from the often absent council member. Mecum gave no reason for his resignation in the surprise […]
The Tulare County Grand Jury today released a report entitled “Nightmare in Lindsay,” responding to citizen complaints alleging violations of the Brown Act, which governs open meeting laws. The grand jury’s press release states: The Tulare County Grand Jury today released a report in response to citizens’ complaints alleging Open Meeting (Brown Act) violations as […]
A dysfunctional, financially embarrassed Lindsay City Council is finally getting some therapy, or at least part of it is, and no one should envy Lindsay Interim City Manager Bill Zigler his job. If all went as planned, the majority of the Lindsay City Council sat down Tuesday morning with a facilitator, who also happens to […]
McDermont Field House will stay open, furloughs for city employees will end on December 5, and the proposal to add a half-percent to Lindsay’s sales tax is dead for now–but the city is still operating in the red and no plan to make up the gap is yet in the works as strife continues among […]
With the city facing a major deficit with no way to cover the gap, the Lindsay City Council is considering a gamble that could see them clear of red ink. Facing budget shortfalls on the order of $450,000 annually for the foreseeable future, the city has already been forced to send home its workforce two […]
A crowd of angry city employees and citizens filled the chambers of the Lindsay City Council to overflowing on August 25, as workers came to air their upset over a hastily enacted furlough program and the city’s residents reacted with dismay to the possibility of paying more for city services. Facing a cash-flow crisis following […]
Despite excellent results from a voluntary water conservation program already in place, harsher measures and stiffer fines could be on the way for water users in Lindsay. At a meeting of the City Council on August 11, the foundation was laid for adding two sections to the city’s plan to conserve water. The effort is […]