This year we have two board members of the Turlock Irrigation District up for election. We will hear about the “achievements” they have made regarding how they were “fighting for our water.” But let’s be honest, a majority of our districts customers are electric customers, many of whom live pay check to pay check and even struggle doing that. Yes, our community includes a lot of farmers who are essential to the economy of not just the Central Valley but also the state with the agricultural and dairy contributions. These owners are not the ones who struggle like the majority of the districts customers, they are not the ones who are primarily having to choose between paying their electric bill and buying bare minimum groceries to feed their families. I am not saying that some of them do not struggle, I am sure they do. But most don’t. However, they are who the considerations are made for when it comes to the TID Boardroom. The minority of the customers get the majority of the considerations. Why? Because that is what these board members know. The water side is what affects them, their businesses, their families, it is what is in their wheel house of knowledge. But the electric infrastructure, often gets overlooked as it is not understood as well by our directors. Our electric side, which is where a majority of our customers are, does not get the support it should without extensive justifications for everything or putting off infrastructure needs to another fiscal year. The Board has been attempting to shrink the TID work force that supports our customers, despite the fact that the district is growing. We need new blood in the boardroom. We need new representation of the majority of the district’s customer base not the minority. If we want a stable future for the Turlock Irrigation District, we need a change in the boardroom. We have Director Santos and Director Frantz, both up for re-election this year. It is time to make a change in the board room so that we can secure a stable future for the customers of the Turlock Irrigation District. We have for the first time, two women running against Director Frantz (Division 1) and Director Santos (Division 4), and we need a change which can only come if we, the customers of the Turlock Irrigation District, vote in new directors. If we want the Turlock Irrigation District to succeed in the future AND especially if we want the electric customers to have a voice in the board room. We need to have board members who don’t use their position for their own privilege, but for positive change for the future of our customers. 

I urge all voters to PLEASE, Vote for new TID Board Members to secure a better future for our district and all of its customers.

— Amber Edwards, Division 1 customer