Debbie Dyk sat in a chair on her street corner at 10:30 AM. She held a poster with information about the Salida MAC meeting taking place that night. She held “No Salida Annex” posters and a fact sheet about the annexation, and when people parked and asked about what she was doing, she explained what Modesto mayor Garrad Marsh had proposed and the possible annexation of Salida.

The annexation, which would result in Salida disappearing and Modesto taking over, is a sore topic to Salidans. They proved this by filling the Community Room at the Salida Library Tuesday night; over 200 citizens showed up, ready to fight for their town.

Terry Withrow, Stanislaus County’s Supervisor for District 3 (which includes Salida), told the crowd that Salida has three choices. “Stay as you are, incorporate into a city yourself, or be annexed into the city of Modesto.”

Why would Modesto want Salida in the first place? Prime real estate. Marsh wants to industrialize the farmland around Gregori, as well as make the business park right off the freeway, near Kiernan Ave, more appealing to passerby. Residents of Salida argue that there’s nothing in it for them except higher taxes to pay for these new developments.

Annexation has been brought up before. The Salida Now plan, which was approved in 2007, would bring in a “tax base necessary to one day become a city,” according to the Modesto Bee. The plan didn’t go through, however, because of the recession.

At the beginning of the Municipal Advisory Council (MAC)  meeting on Tuesday, January 29, the council took a vote of how many people were opposed to the annexation. The entire room, including the few children present, raised their hands. Not one person raised their hand when the opposite question was asked.

Citizens of Salida lined up in the middle of the room to share their opinion on the annexation. Marsh, who was present, was addressed specifically; but because only three minutes was allowed to each speaker, he was cut off multiple times.

Debbie Dyk compared the high crime rate in Modesto to the low one in Salida.
“Before you even consider taking on our town, you need to clean up your town,” said Dyk. This was met with loud applause and the waving of “No Salida Annex” signs around the room.

“We have to wait for a sheriff or officer, that’s true,” said Dyk. “But I have never waited more than an hour when I called the sheriff’s department. I have family and friends in Modesto who have waited up to 7 hours for an officer to show up to their house. I think I’ll keep our sheriffs, officers, and CHP.”

The mayor assured the crowd that if voting results revealed clear, strong opposition, the annexation wouldn’t take place. But if it were still a toss-up, with less than 60% voting against the annexation, it could still happen.

“I think it’s time to make a final decision, in or out,” said Marsh, trying to defend himself against resistant Salidans. The date for the voting to take place is unclear, and the next step is to sign the online petition formed by Katherine Borges, a member of MAC.

It’s clear that Salida wants to stay Salida. Borges even brought up the idea of incorporation — making Salida its own town. She plans on eventually creating a Chamber of Commerce, despite the protests from a woman in the crowd that it would take too long and cost too much money.

Anyone against the annexation can go to http://www.change.org/petitions/stanislaus-co-board-of-supervisors-modesto-city-council-mayor-garrad-marsh-stop-proceedings-for-the-annexation-of-salida-by-the-city-of-modesto to sign the petition. As of February 5, 250 residents had signed.

“We will not start an annexation process without first letting you vote on it,” said Marsh. “We’ll lay out all the different choices, and if you choose not to do it, I’m not gonna do it.”