Something at the Big Fresno Fairgrounds smells, and it's not the barbecued tri-tip.
Fair officials have a parking contract with a private businessman that reeks like the livestock pavilion. By allowing Bill Hargrove, a businessman who operates a weekend flea market on the grounds, to collect tens of thousands of dollars in parking revenue each year for events he has no role in staging, the government-run fair has been deprived of more than $171,000 in the past four years.
And that is a betrayal of the people's trust.
Read our editorial here.
Looks like a gift of public funds to me, which would be a violation of the state constitution.
The policy of Fresno County is to request bids for services. In their own words they say competition serves to drive down the price. Competition is enhanced “by allowing adequate time for bidding and by inviting an adequate number of interested vendors to bid.” So my question is, has this rather lucrative service gone through the bidding process? Fair officials say “they allow it because they want to build a good business relationship” with Mr Hargrove. Well… that’s just special isn’t it… I work for the State. There are a lot of things I would like to do to make my job easier but I have to follow the rules of the State and the procedures of my Department. The fair officials work for the County and the County has rules. Follow the rules guys and you will find you are less likely run into shady deals.
Unless my memory deceives me, some years ago I have heard the name Hargrove
in connection with the Fresno Fair. I don't remember the details but I know that it was not to pin a decoration on that particular Hargrove.
Fresno is controlled by a powerful clique which takes very good care of its own,
including taking care of the thieves of a half million dollars from underprivileged children and getting away with repaying a measly $50.00 and an ankle bracelet that does not keep them in complete house arrest. Just some handy man who married into that mess seems to have been given a prison sentence. I really don't care about the lack of incarceration because those female thieves are of no physical danger to the community but they should have to pay back that money, which by the way was mostly taxpayer's money.
Our culture is a people in constant flux. Nobody lives in one place long enough to remind of the sins and foibles of a community. It also gives way to ever-increasing nepotism. We are starting to have political dynasties.