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In what was supposed to be a ritual start of a new year, the Fresno County Board of Supervisors\u2019 first meeting of 2026 on Jan. 6 was notable for feeling like the last. Resignations were announced, and goodbye speeches flowed despite the long year yet looming ahead.<\/p>\n
The annual \u201cdesignation of officers,\u201d a musical-chairs shuffling of seats, left District 2 Supervisor Garry Bredefeld chair, replacing District 4 Supervisor Buddy Mendes, subtitled \u201cMaking Offers You Can\u2019t Refuse.\u201d District 1 Supervisor Brian Pacheco declined the vice chair position, which went to District 3 Supervisor Luis Chavez.<\/p>\n
Outgoing chair Mendes announced his retirement from the Board, effective at the end of this year, followed by pomp and speeches\u2014despite which, again, he still has a full year to go. Bredefeld lauded him, called him a \u201cmentor,\u201d presented him with a souvenir gavel and a joke portrait, and Mendes\u2019 chief of staff, Vickie Day, read a humorous ode to Mendes, which she composed herself.<\/p>\n
District 5 Supervisor Nathan Magsig praised Mendes in terms bordering on eulogy: \u201cBuddy,\u201d gushed Magsig, had a heart \u201cas big as this room,\u201d recent complaints about inadequate meeting-room size notwithstanding.<\/p>\n
In fact, Mendes has repeatedly demonstrated his short fuse, impatience, self-absorption, regressive sense of humor, intolerance, explosive temper and impulsivity. Some of these behaviors were acknowledged but made light of in Day\u2019s poem.<\/p>\n
Chavez typically disarms the pretensions of both Mendes and Bredefeld with jabs of ironic humor; Chavez jestingly addressed Bredefeld as \u201cyour highness,\u201d alluding to his ascent to the chair position.<\/p>\n
Then to the irascible Mendes he quipped that, when they were first introduced, he had to look up the word \u201cbloviator\u201d as well as the juvenile, faux-scientific term, \u201crecto-cranium inversion,\u201d of which Mendes is fond of deploying, typically against the state government, and which reflects his scatological fixation as well as his fusing of aggression and exhibitionism with a fantasy of authenticity.<\/p>\n
Pacheco noted that 2026 would be his last year with the Board because he is a candidate for State Assembly District 27. He noted that with two Board members leaving, and possibly a third\u2014Magsig is a candidate for State Senate District 12\u2014it was in the interest of the Board for him to decline the vice chair position.<\/p>\n
He pointed out to Mendes that they \u201ccame in together,\u201d both having served since 2015, and \u201cas fate would have it,\u201d will leave together, quipping \u201cheaven help us\u201d because the \u201ctwo \u2018city\u2019 guys\u201d (Bredefeld and Chavez both served on the Fresno City Council) would now be leading the county.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s better \u201cto go out on one\u2019s own terms,\u201d Pacheco concluded, pointing out to Mendes that today was \u201cour last first day.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/BOS-2_web-3.jpg\")
Incoming Fresno County Board of Supervisors Chair Garry Bredefeld holds a joke
portrait of outgoing chair Buddy Mendes. Screenshot from livestream<\/p>\n
Sex Offenders in Transitional Housing<\/p>\n
After a contentious debate, with members of the public present to argue both pro and con, the Board, with a 5-0 vote, formally approved an ordinance limiting the number of paroled sex offenders residing in the same transitional-housing unit to six.<\/p>\n
A first hearing on Dec. 9, 2025, had been approved, and the second hearing of the item was pulled for discussion from the consent agenda by a member of the public.<\/p>\n
Twelve people were present to make heartfelt arguments, half for each side. Dawn Coyle, co-owner with her husband John of Centers for Living transitional homes, wore a large crucifix around her neck. She asked the Board to defer a vote on the ordinance until a contingency plan could be made to allow time to plan for alternative housing for those displaced by the limit on the number of residents.<\/p>\n
Others who opposed the ordinance cited biblical passages that bolstered their points of view, and a couple of commenters said they had become ministers during the course of their stays in transitional housing, some of which entail evangelical Christian instruction.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat would Jesus say?\u201d asked one, pleading with the Board not to pass the ordinance, which would \u201cpunish people for who they used to be.\u201d<\/p>\n
Others agreed with Coyle that the ordinance would cause more homelessness, leaving paroled sex offenders with nowhere to go, wandering at large.<\/p>\n
Another laid bare that he was a \u201cdreaded sex offender\u201d a couple of years out of prison and credited Centers for Living for his recovery; he was \u201cvery conservative,\u201d voted for Trump and \u201cprobably for you, Bredefeld.\u201d<\/p>\n
On the supporting side, people who live in neighborhoods where transitional homes are located said that residents of the homes \u201cstare them down\u201d and sit in front of their houses \u201cfor hours.\u201d They made claims about thefts that they felt were perpetrated by the parolees.<\/p>\n
Others said that the properties were poorly maintained, that \u201ctrash was piled up\u201d and made vague claims such as that parolees \u201cwalk by our homes all the time\u201d and that the operators of the transitional homes were \u201conly in it for the money.\u201d Bredefeld, now chairing the meeting, permitted unrestrained applause after each speaker.<\/p>\n
Magsig made a point of thanking everyone for speaking and singled out the \u201cbrave\u201d Trump-supporting parolee for \u201csharing your heart.\u201d Citing the several biblical references made by commenters, Magsig, unable to resist boasting of his vast Bible knowledge, let everyone know that \u201cscripture was not black and white\u201d on this issue.<\/p>\n
Coyle earlier had said that they had followed state law in permitting one resident per 250 square feet. Remarkably, only at this point did a member of the Board think to consult a legal authority. \u201cWhat is the state law?\u201d Magsig asked County Counsel Doug Sloan, who replied that there were two issues: building codes and zoning.<\/p>\n
Per state building code, one person is allowed for every 250 square feet. Per state zoning law, up to six unrelated people may live in a single-family dwelling. Magsig then diverged into more Bible talk, as religion is one of his fixations\u2014he was the authority on the Bible, and no matter what passage anyone else cited, he would have the last word, using the passages he preferred (the book of Titus) to reach a decision: He stretched this Biblical allusion to conclude that \u201csystems [e.g., plumbing] should not be overburdened.\u201d<\/p>\n
Pacheco remarked that there was \u201cno question\u201d that the Coyles were trying to help people, but the concern was the concentration of sex offenders and public safety. If everyone was \u201cdoing it right,\u201d there shouldn\u2019t be an issue, he said.<\/p>\n
Then he asked Sloan to clarify his remarks about state law as it affected this ordinance. Sloan explained that per current state law, local jurisdictions may (not \u201cmust\u201d) make regulations regarding a single-family house with more than six unrelated occupants, which appeared to satisfy Pacheco.<\/p>\n
Chavez remarked that he \u201cdidn\u2019t like the undertones\u201d of vilification toward the Coyles reflected in some of the commenters\u2019 remarks; however, he, as a foster parent, \u201cdidn\u2019t trust the hearts of men who have done unspeakable things to children.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bredefeld, as chair now speaking last, nevertheless didn\u2019t miss an opportunity to demonstrate his oft-expressed hostility toward the state government, which he called \u201cpro-criminal,\u201d and his mulish refusal to engage in a reasonable manner: \u201cI don\u2019t care what they say, state law is stupid!\u201d<\/p>\n
Measure C: Bredefeld\u2019s Vow a Success?<\/p>\n
During the portion of the meeting reserved for supervisor committee reports and general comments, the focus was on Measure C, the sales tax that funds the County\u2019s transportation projects, and which is scheduled to appear on the November 2026 ballot for a renewal vote.<\/p>\n
Ongoing negotiations by a steering committee for how to budget the tax revenue have been contentious, mainly because of vociferous opposition by a minority\u2014led by Bredefeld and Mendes\u2014to funding such areas as public transportation; they prefer 30 years (the term of the measure) of repeatedly fixing potholes and building more roads for cars.<\/p>\n
Chavez remarked that he met with Measure C \u201cfolks\u201d\u2014presumably members of the steering committee\u2014who, having recently approved the spending implementation plan by a 10-4 vote, asked that the current proposal be placed on the Board\u2019s agenda. However, Chavez noted that, historically, the 15 cities of Fresno County have a chance to weigh in first, something he appeared to prefer in this case as well.<\/p>\n
He urged \u201cfolks\u201d who anticipated a competing initiative (which would require a complex petition process to appear on the ballot) to consider compromising and discussed what things might look like without a Measure C\u2014the loss of Measure C funding would entail layoffs and significant loss of money for any of the County\u2019s transportation-related projects, Chavez warned.<\/p>\n
It must appear on the agenda so the Board can vote on it, as they have the final vote in the process\u2014if it is not agendized, the Board can\u2019t vote on it, and if they don\u2019t vote on it, it won\u2019t appear on the ballot in November. Hence, there is a possibility of a competing measure in the form of a ballot initiative.<\/p>\n
Mendes commented that this was his 12th year dealing with Measure C, and he reiterated Chavez\u2019s point about cities voting on the updated measure before the Board votes. He didn\u2019t hide his petulance over not getting his way on the terms of the updated measure, claiming without evidence that there was \u201clots of dishonesty\u201d in the process.<\/p>\n
\u201cElecteds have the final call! Others can say what they want, but electeds have the final call!\u201d By \u201celecteds,\u201d he appeared to mean himself and other Board members, not elected members of any of the 15 city councils within the county, and rather than the \u201cfinal\u201d call, he appeared to be affronted that his was not the \u201conly\u201d call.<\/p>\n
Bredefeld picked up where Mendes left off and reiterated his favorite canards about Measure C: The steering committee was \u201chijacked by radicals,\u201d they want to \u201cget people out of their cars,\u201d \u201cnobody wants\u00a0<\/p>\n
bikes,\u201d it was a \u201cshit-show,\u201d they support \u201cclimate change nonsense\u201d and so on.<\/p>\n
\u201cI told them \u2018No\u2019 in no uncertain terms!\u201d he ranted. Bredefeld\u2019s oft-repeated threat about Measure C\u2014\u201cI\u2019ll make sure this fails!\u201d\u2014loomed like a promise to burn the house down if he couldn\u2019t run it.<\/p>\n
Addendum: Days after the Jan. 6 Board meeting, reports confirmed that Measure C is at an impasse, and if a citizens\u2019 initiative reflecting a holistic approach to the next 30 years of transportation funding and development (e.g., one that entails public transit) is to appear on the November ballot, supporters must act quickly. Bredefeld\u2019s vow to \u201cmake sure it fails\u201d appears to have been effective.<\/p>\n
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