Clovis voters will choose a new representative for District 4 on Nov. 3. The race pits former police chief Mike Basgall against retired fire captain John Doe (name placeholder for the second candidate). Both candidates stress the importance of public‑safety funding, responsible infrastructure development and preserving the “Clovis way of life” for families.
Basgall’s public‑safety background
Mike Basgall grew up in Clovis, moving there at age 5. After a brief stint in Fresno and college, he spent nearly three decades with the Clovis Police Department, rising from officer to chief. He retired in December 2019 after his wife was diagnosed with stage four breast cancer; she is now in remission but remains in treatment.
During the Great Recession, Basgall was a lieutenant and saw the department shrink from 116 officers to 91, with the command staff reduced to four. He described the resulting staffing shortfall as a “vicious cycle” that forced officers onto extra shifts and increased injuries.
Basgall first ran for council in 2022 to advance a public‑safety measure. Measure Y, which he championed, raised about $30 million in its first year and passed with 70 % of the vote. He says the money prevented a $5 million budget hole and allowed the city to add four to six officers, though the council’s unanimous support was essential.
Infrastructure and growth concerns
Basgall warns that rapid growth in northeast Clovis will demand major new infrastructure. He projects an urban village in the northeast within ten years, requiring a new water‑treatment plant costing $50 million to $100 million. He doubts the city will have bonding capacity until 2032, so planners must address financing now.
Measure Y also funds a new fire station near Minnewawa and Teague avenues, supporting upcoming residential developments and an elementary school. Basgall notes that response times in the far‑flung Harlan Ranch area are improving as more officers patrol the north end.
Community‑focused policing
Basgall emphasizes that public safety succeeds only when residents back the police. He cites citizen surveys that consistently rate the department above 90 % and points to Clovis’s reputation as the safest city in the Valley. He urges neighbors to report crimes promptly and to cooperate with officers.
He also opposes a city‑wide homeless shelter, arguing that simply adding beds does not solve the underlying issue. Instead, he highlights the department’s new liaison program, which pairs full‑time staff with mental‑health professionals to find permanent placements for unhoused individuals.
Doe’s fire‑service experience
Retired fire captain John Doe brings three decades of fire‑department leadership to the race. He served as battalion chief, overseeing emergency response, fire prevention education and community outreach. Doe’s platform focuses on expanding fire‑station coverage, improving emergency‑medical response times and ensuring that the growing northeast neighborhoods receive adequate fire protection.
Doe supports continued use of Measure Y funds for fire‑service expansion and advocates for a coordinated approach between police and fire agencies to address public‑safety challenges holistically.
What voters should consider
Both candidates agree that Clovis must grow in a controlled manner, balancing new housing with water, sewer and road capacity. They differ on how best to finance infrastructure and on the role of city‑wide social‑service facilities.
Voters in District 4, which stretches north of Bullard Avenue, east of Sunnyside Avenue and includes the city’s landfill island, will decide which vision guides the city’s next chapter. The election is nonpartisan, but each candidate’s record on public safety and infrastructure will shape the council’s priorities.
For more information on the candidates, their positions and how to vote, visit the City of Clovis website or attend the upcoming candidate forum on Oct. 20.
Original reporting: Fresnoland — read the source article.
