The two Manteca City Council District 4 hopefuls shared their views on homeless issues in Manteca during public comments at Monday’s special council meeting.

In fact, every candidate on the Nov. 8 ballot was present in the council chambers.

Besides District 4 hopefuls Nancy Watson and Mike Morowit, there was incumbent Mayor Ben Cantu and his challengers City Councilman Gary Singh and Lei Ann Larson.

Watson used her time to stress that she was against using any general fund money to pay for homeless services.

She noted that even though city officials have said they would try to find other revenue to backfill the money, there is $715,616 set aside in the general fund to cover the cost of the contract with His Way Recovery to operate the emergency shelter at 555 Industrial Park Drive through June 30, 2022,

The general fund is used to pay for day-to-day municipal services such as police and fire services, street maintenance, park upkeep, general government and other expenses.

Watson stressed she is not against providing services to the homeless.

However, she believes the private sector should fund homeless services and not city taxpayers.

Morowit used his three minutes at the podium to praise His Way Recovery and the decision by the council that evening to partner with the local non-profit outreach organization to replace Inner City Action as the shelter operator after the latter opted out of its contract.

Morowit noted  that since 1998, Brother Al Deardoff has done a solid job with His Way Recovery’s Christ-centered program that includes turning the lives of substance abusers and homeless around.

Morowit noted that His Way Recovery provides shelter in 11 rental homes in Manteca.

District 4 covers all of Manteca north of Louise Avenue except east of Highway 99.

Sweet ice cream deal

topped with greet & meet

with mayoral hopeful  Singh

You can cool off tonight, enjoy 31 percent off on your favorite Baskin-Robins ice cream flavor as well as meet and greet with Manteca mayoral candidate Gary Singh.

It is all taking place at the Manteca Baskin-Ribbons located at 1111 South Main Street in the Mission Ridge Shopping Center anchored by Safeway and Walmart.

The 31 percent off all ice cream scoops is all day today from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. to celebrate the fact it is Aug. 31.

The meet at greet at Baskin-Robbins with Singh is from 6 to 9 p.m. this evening.

Singh sign helps

shelter homeless

If Gary Singh is wandering what happened to one of his campaign signs, a homeless individual procured it as part of the materials they used for a makeshift shelter along the Tidewater Bikeway between the Manteca VFW Hall and Powers Avenue.

So far signs have been popping up for Singh, Mayor Ben Cantu as well as council hopefuls Dave Britenbucher and Mike Morowit.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com