Emerson Drake scores a grand slam homer at tonight's Modesto City Council meeting

 Without so much as a quiver of doubt or equivocation, the rising star of tonight's Modesto City Council meeting was Emerson Drake, owner and editor of  Eye on Modesto, who held his momentum throughout the meeting. Drake spoke on a number of issues and did not hesitate to express what was on his mind one iota. 

Public Comment Period

Drake's first comments tonight were delivered during the Public Comment portion of the meeting. Drake pointed out the hypocrisy of the Mayor

and Council when they strictly enforce vaccination requirements for City employees, but they are not enforcing mask mandates. Drake pointed out that countless elderly and sick people are being unnecessarily exposed to COVID-19 by people who refuse to wear masks. He made reference to the police chief who does not enforce mask mandates with his staff, stating, "And you hire a police chief who does not enforce mask mandates?"

City Calendar

Drake's next time at bat concerned a measure to change the City Council meeting calendar. As it stands now, the City Council regularly meets on the first, second, fourth and fifth Tuesdays of the month (if there is a fifth Tuesday). Tonight the Council was considering a new meeting calendar for 2022 in which there only would be two (2) City Council meetings per month. Drake vehemently opposed the new calendar and accused the Council of trying to "hide behind the calendar." He pointed out the fact that the Council puts up a huge clock on the screen in City Council meetings on ZOOM and that "You can't see anybody." He continued, "And now you want to cut it down to two meetings a month? Why are you meeting so seldom?" Drake then accused the Council of hoping that by meeting so seldom, that the citizens will just dissipate or "go away." He then asked the Mayor and Council if they were trying to increase their pay per meeting by meeting longer and so seldom. Despite Drake's well-reasoned comments, David Wright made a motion to adopt the new 2022 calendar as it is written. Council member Braaton seconded the motion.

Drake encouraged the Council to "try it out" for three months instead of adopting it for the entire year. Council member Tony Madrigal motioned that the Council "revisit" the new calendar after 3 months to "see how it's going" and that this be added to Wright's motion. But then Council member Rosa Braaton objected and removed her second of Wright's motion. Braaton then offered a counter motion to leave Wright's motion as it was originally! The majority of the Council, including Jenny Kenoyer and the Mayor, voted in favor of Wright's original motion and the new 2022 calendar, with only two Council meetings per month, was adopted despite Drake's and Madrigal's earnest efforts. 

A $313,281 purchase of a 'stand-by ambulance'

Emerson Drake did not stop there. He was at bat with three men on base and he was going to get a grand slam and he did! Drake opposed the City Fire Chief's proposed purchase of a "stand-by ambulance" "not to exceed $313,281." Drake pointed out how ridiculous such a purchase would be in light of all the other expenditures that the City is unable to pay at this time. He further questioned the utility of acquiring such a vehicle and suggested that it was not necessary, emphasizing the fact that it will be a "stand-by ambulance." The Council then voted 7 -0 in favor of the purchase.

First responder fee

Drake then passionately objected to a service agreement from Wittman Enterprises, L.L.C., which entails a "First Responder Fee for Pre-Hospital Emergency Medical Services." In other words, either the patient or the patient's insurance company is going to have to pay a "first responder fee" for the services provided by the Modesto Fire Department when they are dispatched to respond to the patient's medical emergency,  "Fee for First Responder services" provided by a publicly funded fire department. Drake pointed out that once the insurance companies are charged for these services, that premiums will go up. The spokesperson from Wittman Enterprises refuted that, but Drake stuck to his guns, stating, "Insurance will go up. Insurance will go up!"

A Civic Hero

So far as this citizen is concerned, Emerson Drake was a civic hero tonight, a man who speaks his mind and does not compromise his values one bit. Emerson holds no office, but he has the heart and soul of a resolute citizen who will stop at nothing to do what is right and to say what is necessary to keep our city safe, vibrant and dynamic. Here's to you, Emerson!