General Election: Here are the top takeaways from Visalia City Council candidate forum

Visalia could have new representation in the coming year as 10 candidates vie for a seat on city council.

Long-debated issues such as cannabis, homelessness, and an aquatic center were discussed during a city council forum hosted by Visalia Times-Delta and the League of Women Voters of Tulare County.

Candidates were asked about critical issues facing the city. Here are the top takeaways from Wednesday night. (You can watch a replay of the forum by clicking on play in the embedded video below.)

Missing candidates

Seven of the 10 Visalia City Council participated in Wednesday's forum.

Notably absent was candidate District 5 candidate Kris Korsgaden. His opponent, Visalia Mayor Steve Nelsen, was in attendance, but due to League of Women Voters' candidate forum rules, Nelsen couldn't participate as the sole representative for District 5.

"Thank you for the almost-opportunity," Nelsen said before leaving the online panel.

Nelsen had a message for his constituents following Wednesday's forum:

"Voters need to know their candidates, and while it may be an encumbrance on my schedule, there is an obligation. I believe in my constituents; those I serve deserve to hear from me," he said. "I was denied this opportunity when my opponent failed to appear."         

The councilman later told the Times-Delta that he focused on public safety, water issues, and cost of living in Visalia during his term.

"Your priorities are my priorities, and I hope you will continue to support my efforts with your vote this November," he said. "Road conditions and homelessness issues continue to be top of mind, and while remedial steps have been taken, more is being scheduled, and more needs to be done."

District 1 candidate Justin Bolton was also absent. Because District 1 Councilwoman Liz Wynn and candidate Brian Farris were in attendance, they were allowed to participate.

It's unclear if Korsgaden or Bolton are still in the race. Neither candidate responded to Times-Delta's request for confirmation.

Visalia Navigation Center

The Visalia Navigation Center is planned to open on Court Street near the Riverway Sports Park and a neighboring subdivision.

The homeless center will offer beds and services to the city's growing unhoused population. Many unhoused take refuge in encampments along the nearby St. John's River.

However, many residents living nearby housing developments weren't pleased with the center's location.

Candidates were asked how they plan to ensure the navigation center accomplishes its objectives.

"I don't think there's a lot of public buy-in to its success because it was such a contentious issue for those neighborhoods," District 4 candidate Bob Ainley said.

A navigation center isn't going to fix homelessness in the city, and it will take efforts from the city and local organizations to reduce the unhoused population, Ainley said.

"There shouldn't be people sleeping on the streets," District 4 candidate Emmanuel Soto said. "It's something we are responsible for as a community."

The 100-bed shelter would make good on a pledge Visalia City Council members made to open a low-barrier shelter in the city by 2023.

"Bottom line, we have a state mandate to meet," District 4 candidate Marie Line-Labbee said. "We need beds in our community."

District 3 Councilman Brian Poochigian pointed out that the project would have moved forward regardless of city council because it was a by-right development.

"The city wanted to make sure they had enough funding to make sure that program was a success," Poochigian said. "Many people want that lifestyle. We have to change our thinking and try to get these people off the street and into services."

Aquatic Center

An aquatic center in Visalia has long been debated at the city council dais.

Candidates were asked whether they would support a city-funded pool and where it would be located.

"I've lost count on how many times we've voted on this issue," Poochigian said.

Although in favor of an aquatic center, the councilman has concerns about maintenance costs.

The potential costs associated with the pool have varied from report to report.

A 2019 report prepared by the Visalia Parks and Recreation Department estimated construction costs would run anywhere between $12 million and $15 million.

The most recent report estimates that an aquatics center would cost around $10 million. Arch Pac Aquatics, the firm providing the potential cost breakdown, estimates it will also cost the city around $210,000 annually to maintain and operate the pool.

Line-Labbee is an avid supporter of an aquatic center and is meeting with the Citizens Aquatic Center Committee to form a solution to the funding worries.

The committee is working with the Parks and Recreation Foundation to start an endowment for an aquatic center, according to Line-Labbee. The proposed funding is a $5 million endowment with a 5% interest rate that will help with long-term maintenance costs.

"Yes, I am in favor of there being a competitive portion of the pool," she said. "A competitive pool... would be accessible by different people and different parties."

Wynn wants more feedback on the issue from taxpayers before she decides.

"We need some sort of swim center," she said. "Whether it's recreation or competitive is a question the public needs to answer. It needs to be brought before the public with current and accurate financial cost."

Cannabis in Visalia

Visalia City Council last visited the marijuana issue in June 2021, shortly after the death of Councilman Phil Cox and before Wynn was appointed to the vacant seat.

At the time, the council was split 2-2 on moving ahead with a commercial cannabis ordinance that would permit dispensaries to operate within city limits, so the motion died.

On Wednesday night, all candidates favored allowing some form of cannabis business into Visalia.

"We can put it in the Industrial Park that way, it's away from schools and homes," District 4 candidate Emmanuel Soto said. "It would bring a lot of money into the city to fund our first responders; to fund an aquatic center."

Woodlake, Farmersville, and Tulare have allowed dispensaries to open and make frequent deliveries in Visalia.

Candidate Line-Labbee said she spoke with Woodlake's GreenBean Dispensary and was told that Visalia makes up 80% of the store's sales.

"That money is going to fund Woodlake and Farmersville, as well as Tulare," she said.

The two current council members also supported bringing cannabis revenue into Visalia.

"I've voted on this twice," Poochigian said. "In my mind, it's already here. We are losing out on that tax revenue."

Wynn said she wants the city to do more research on the industry so that they will be prepared if the city approves dispensaries to operate.

Ainley was the only candidate opposed to a dispensary opening in Visalia.

"As of right now, I don't think every fact is fully understood," he said. "I don't think the costs are fully understood."

Instead, Ainley said he would support a grow facility within Visalia's Industrial Park.

Future of Planned Parenthood

Planned Parenthood had plans to extend its services with a larger clinic on Mooney Boulevard.

Planned Parenthood already operates a Visalia clinic on Stevenson Street.

In March, developer Orosco Group pulled out of the project amid growing controversy. Candidates were asked how they would have voted. Poochigian clarified that city council never voted to approve or deny a Planned Parenthood facility.

"My concerns were with patient safety being on the busiest street in the city," he said.

Ainley echoed Poochigian's clarification.

"It's not a question of how they voted or how someone should have voted," he said. "In that issue, it was another landowner who appealed the (conditional use permit) based on parking concerns."

Some candidates voiced their support of an expanded Planned Parenthood facility.

"It's one of the reasons I wanted to run for city council," District 3 candidate Heather Carter said. "It's a lovely way to go and feel accepted."

District 1 candidate David Farris also expressed support for Planned Parenthood.

"I've been a proponent of the health services offered at Planned Parenthood," he said. "The conversation always turns to abortion, but that's not what those facilities primarily do."

The expanded clinic would have allowed the nonprofit to treat more patients and offer primary care services to low-income Tulare County residents, spokesperson Lauren Babb said.

Additionally, the Mooney clinic would not have performed abortions on-site but would offer referrals to other clinics in Fresno and Bakersfield for those services.

Proposition forums

The League of Women Voters and its partners are conducting an informational forum to educate voters on the seven propositions and Measure C on this November’s ballot. The forum will be from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 11 at 210 at 210 W. Center Ave.

Sheyanne Romero is a journalist for the USA TODAY Network and Visalia Times-Delta. 

This article originally appeared on Visalia Times-Delta: Here are the top takeaways from Visalia City Council candidate forum