By Emerson Drake
8/13/11
The group who calls themselves Commonwealth Modesto has been creeping into political power for several years and are determined to rule Modesto by hook or by crook. In public they act so benign but behind the scenes they are heavy handed and devious. Taking a page from "Movers and Shakers" they ensconced their members into important areas of government to implement the policies that benefit their members financially.
A prime examples of this are Trinity Renovations and Benchmark Reality. The former owned by Ryan Swehla and Scott Monday, the latter by Joe Muratore and Ryan Swehla. Their involvement in the Neighborhood Stabilization and Preservation funds part2 (NSP2) fiasco has finally started to come out. How many more companies owned by Commonwealth Modesto members will be exposed as having wallowed in the public trough before the investigation is through?
For these would be (if we let them) power brokers and developers an important city board to be on is the Board of Zoning Adjustments. Who does Commonwealth Modesto have there? Ryan Swehla. On the City's Economic Development Committee? Joe Muratore. We can't forget the Entertainment Commission that sets the rules regarding what businesses get the approval and how much they have to pay to provide entertainment for their customers. Who is their chairman? None other than Chris Ricci. The same man is in charge of the Commonwealth downtown Pod. Starting to get the drift?
The first time I heard someone say to a ruling body, at least in public, "the Commonwealth wouldn't be happy if you make that decision" or words to that effect was Ryan Swehla to the Modesto Irrigation District when they turned down Valley Energy Partners in their attempt to sneak a proposal after the deadline during a MID meeting and this was back in October of 2009. Valley Energy Partners was/is owned and operated by Joe Muratore, Ryan Swehla, Stephen Endsley. Despite his recent protests, according to Swehla's claims to the MID Board that day, so is/was Brad Hawn. Valley Energy Partners were frustrated that day in their attempts to curry special exemptions from the rules everyone else had to follow when applying for contracts from the MID board.
Were you aware that now City Manager Greg Nyhoff was interviewed by Commonwealth Modesto before they gave their approval to the City Council for them to hire him? Starting to understand their behind the scenes power?
Had anyone heard before Friday about the coming motto change? No? What council committee did it come from? What, you say it didn't come from a public committee? It was dreamed up behind closed doors?
The members of the Commonwealth use their membership like a secret handshake when doing business. Their public face is, "we're only trying to make Modesto a better place to do business" but the unspoken tone of the message, at least in private is, "mess with us and you won't be doing business with our members, not in Modesto."
We don't need chameleon like societies in Modesto pretending to be for Modesto's greater good, but actually bent profiting financially from ruling us.
