It’s been two years since Steve Dresser was on the Lathrop City Council.

But that doesn’t mean he hasn’t been out of the political limelight.

With the absence of sitting Mayor Kristy Sayles at the South San Joaquin Republicans candidates night Monday evening at Chez Shari, Dresser – who is making a run for the same post – had the lectern to himself as he outlined his platform as to why he’d make the best mayor for Lathrop when the election rolls around.

And he didn’t pull any punches.

Dresser’s main complaint was seeing all of Lathrop’s dirty laundry aired out in The Bulletin – ranging from the unlawful termination of building inspector Matt Browne to current Mayor Sayles threatening to have people removed from the chambers by members of the Lathrop Police Department.

“I think that our council is not making all of the right decisions,” Dresser said. “They’re not making all of the decisions that they need to make at this time.

“I’ve had the experience and I’ve been there before. “And unlike so many of those people that are already voting together in what we need is one person in the community that serves as a leader of your city. That’s the only way that you’re going to get back together and start making decisions as a whole. You need a leader.”

But even as Lathrop’s hopeful leader, Dressser realizes that you can’t do anything on your own without the assistance of the remainder of the council in order to function properly and get things done.

“Threatening you can’t get anything done, and the answer to everything I can tell you is that I can do this and I can do that, but in reality it can’t be done on your own.

“I’m not going to promise you everything, but I know that it’s something that can’t be done.”