![\"Bredefeld\u2019s](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/BOS_web-5-620x413.jpg\")
Supervisor Garry Bredefeld makes his feelings known with a special sign. Screenshot from livestream, May 12, 2026<\/p>\nSupervisor Garry Bredefeld makes his feelings known with a special sign. Screenshot from livestream, May 12, 2026<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat a Drag\u201d<\/p>\n
At its April 21 meeting, the County Board of Supervisors (BOS) approved an agreement between the county library and the Fresno Chaffee Zoo to hold summer programs for children.<\/p>\n
Because BOS Chair Garry Bredefeld has a record of attempting to control public-library programs and his opposition to public affirmation of homosexuality, such as library displays during Pride Month, Fresno County Librarian Sally Gomez appeared before the Board to request permission for the agreement.<\/p>\n
Alluding to the controversy Bredefeld raised in 2022 over after-hours, RSVP-required \u201cfamily friendly\u201d drag events at the zoo, which at the time he called \u201cdespicable and evil,\u201d Bredefeld asked whether there would be any such drag events.<\/p>\n
Gomez replied there were \u201cnone in the plans.\u201d Bredefeld continued, \u201cWhat if the zoo wanted to do that? They have done family drag shows in the past.\u201d Gomez explained that the theme for the program was \u201cGo Wild for Reading.\u201d<\/p>\n
Fresno Arts Council<\/p>\n
The Board unanimously agreed to maintain the Fresno Arts Council (FAC) as the County of Fresno\u2019s local partner with the California Arts Council for fiscal 2026\u201327, facilitating state arts funding.<\/p>\n
The vote followed remarks about FAC made by both Bredefeld and Supervisor Buddy Mendes (District 4), after the recent FAC embezzlement scandal where its former operations manager pleaded guilty to stealing $1.8 million over the course of three years.<\/p>\n
Andrea Mele, interim executive director of the FAC, gave a presentation regarding the organization\u2019s services and programming and described how they advocate for and represent Fresno\u2019s creative economy to the California Arts Council (CAC).<\/p>\n
\u00a0Acknowledging that the employee who stole the money was the subject of a criminal investigation, she outlined steps the FAC is taking to safeguard funds in the future, including engaging an outside accounting firm to manage finances.<\/p>\n
In making the case for maintaining the FAC as the State Local Partner (SLP) for the state arts agency, Mele said that canceling it would mean the county would be without a representative to advocate for state funds.<\/p>\n
She described several FAC programs, some of which operate with state funding, such as hiring art teachers for the Selma public schools, the city of Fresno\u2019s Poet Laureate program, Arts Alive in Agriculture, the San Joaquin Valley Book Fest, Poetry Out Loud and more.<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u201cFAC is committed to earning back your trust through vigilance, transparency and dedication to the programs and grants we manage,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
The Board\u2019s tone was generally measured, despite Bredefeld\u2019s later questioning. CAO Paul Nerland said that \u201coften entities this happens to become the strictest and best to work with because of the experience.\u201d<\/p>\n
Supervisor Brian Pacheco (District 1) said that he \u201capplauded\u201d Mele and Simpson for \u201chitting it head-on,\u201d adding that \u201cI was good to go\u201d as soon as they mentioned \u201cag art.\u201d Pacheco is a dairy farmer.<\/p>\n
Bredefeld asked whether any of the stolen money was recovered and how it was that \u201cno one noticed\u201d the money disappearing. Simpson said that \u201cfull restitution\u201d had been ordered by the court.<\/p>\n
Bredefeld then stated that \u201cthere was pressure from community groups\u201d for the City not to handle the money and to hand it over to the arts council. Mele replied that FAC\u2019s management of funds had been written into the ordinance.<\/p>\n
Both Mendes and Bredefeld have previously connected the FAC embezzlement affair with the \u201cBetter Roads, Safe Streets\u201d replacement plan for the Measure C transportation tax, which recently qualified for the November ballot and which Bredefeld has called a \u201cscam,\u201d by discussing the possibility of future funding mismanagement.<\/p>\n
Mendes said, \u201cThis is the kind of thing that happens when you have these citizen-led initiatives\u2014you have these \u2018deals\u2019 where there are holes for potential problems,\u201d adding, \u201cbut that\u2019s just a comment.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bredefeld then discussed the new Measure C proposal, saying, \u201cOn the measure that just got on the ballot\u2014I don\u2019t know what they call it\u2014it\u2019s the new Measure C\u2014it has oversight by a supposed citizens\u2019 committee, so it\u2019s fraught with problems,\u201d concluding, \u201cbut that\u2019s a problem for another day.\u201d<\/p>\n
The discussion regarding possible future Measure C issues did not appear to affect the Board\u2019s treatment of the FAC organization.<\/p>\n
Public comment was opened on the matter and local arts figures addressed the Board: Shine Theater\u2019s founding artistic director Tony Sanders cited the support of the FAC as \u201cprofound, relevant and necessary.\u201d<\/p>\n
Educator and author Megan Anderson Bohigian, who served as the fifth Poet Laureate of the City of Fresno, said that \u201cFresno is known internationally as a poetry center\u201d in part because of the work of the FAC.<\/p>\n
When the vote was taken, it was unanimous and Bredefeld said, \u201cYou won.\u201d<\/p>\n
His calm at that meeting contrasted with his conduct at the May 12 meeting.<\/p>\n
Library Pride<\/p>\n
On May 12, the Board determined that county libraries may not observe Pride Month and will not be granted permission to participate in this year\u2019s Pride Parade.<\/p>\n
This meeting marked another debate regarding LGBTQ+-related library programming and visibility.<\/p>\n
The agenda item involved a request by the county library to spend $125 on a booth at the Pride Parade and to recognize Pride Month each June for the next five years via book displays.<\/p>\n
After public comment and debate, the vote broke along ideological lines. Republicans Bredefeld, Mendes and Nathan Magsig (District 5) voted no, while Democrats Pacheco and Luis Chavez (District 3) supported the requests but were outnumbered.<\/p>\n
The matter appeared on the agenda because of earlier policies requiring departments to seek Board approval for discretionary spending and for observing holidays or civic events. Under these rules, department heads must request approval to spend discretionary funds.<\/p>\n
The controversy had begun weeks earlier. In April, a parent reportedly complained to Bredefeld that county library staff visiting a middle school had distributed bookmarks featuring young-adult titles, some involving LGBTQ+ themes.<\/p>\n
Bredefeld responded with a Facebook post accusing the library of making a \u201cdeviant effort\u201d to \u201cindoctrinate\u201d children into homosexuality.<\/p>\n
The bookmarks became connected to the May 12 agenda item as Bredefeld broadened the discussion to LGBTQ+-related issues.<\/p>\n
When discussion began, Bredefeld displayed a printed sign reading \u201cNO INDOCTRINATION OF OUR CHILDREN\u201d on the dais.<\/p>\n
Public comment was crowded enough that speaking time was reduced to one minute per speaker.<\/p>\n
The first supporter of the library, Pride Parade volunteer coordinator Tracie Cisneros, announced that the parade had waived the library\u2019s booth fee. Opponents included people who said they did not want to discuss sexuality with their children.<\/p>\n
Chavez defended the LGBTQ+ community, stating that \u201cGod makes people a certain way\u201d and condemning \u201cdehumanizing rhetoric\u201d directed at LGBTQ+ residents. He praised County Librarian Sally Gomez and declared that \u201cFresno will not ban books.\u201d<\/p>\n
Magsig complimented Chavez\u2019s remarks, then questioned Gomez about the many other events the library observes and whether there is \u201ca fine line between support and advocacy,\u201d implying there was in this case.<\/p>\n
Gomez explained that the library participates in community events when invited, if it has sufficient resources and staff, but under California law the library will not engage in partisan political activity or commercial promotion.<\/p>\n
Pacheco attempted to narrow the discussion to the specific requests before the Board, noting that book banning itself was not under consideration.<\/p>\n
When Pacheco asked County Counsel Doug Sloan whether the Board could legally regulate library Pride displays, Sloan clarified that California law gives libraries authority over book selection and displays, meaning the Board could not prohibit Pride-themed displays regardless of the vote.<\/p>\n
Bredefeld then criticized \u201cwoke nonsense\u201d and revisited issues such as the \u201ccondoms and lube\u201d distributed by the Health Department at past Pride events.<\/p>\n
He discussed what percentage of library books had gay themes and referred to titles such as \u201cWild Tongues Can\u2019t Be Tamed.\u201d<\/p>\n
Why did he presume the title to be sexual? A quick Internet search shows the book is a short-story and poetry anthology by Hispanic youth and the title alludes to \u201cthe struggle for linguistic identity,\u201d per published criticism.<\/p>\n
He questioned librarian Gomez about LGBTQ+-themed materials and asked whether she saw a problem with such books. After she answered no, he replied, \u201cThen I have a problem with you!\u201d He concluded by threatening to privatize the library.<\/p>\n
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