As a member of this community, I am not foolish enough to believe that votes cast by our elected officials will always align with my personal beliefs or values. I understand that opinions will differ. I understand that votes will not always go my way. I understand that conflict and disagreement are part of the process inside a County Board of Supervisors meeting or a City Council meeting. That is part of government, and that is how democracy works.
What I do expect, however, as a community member, taxpayer, and constituent, is a basic level of professionalism and decorum from the people elected to represent us and paid with our tax dollars.
I expect people to be treated with respect.
I expect language to be dignified.
I expect communication between elected officials, county employees, and members of the public to remain respectful and professional, especially in a public forum.
What we witnessed at the Fresno County Board of Supervisors meeting on May 12 failed to meet those expectations.
Supervisor Garry Bredefeld used language that was completely inappropriate in an open public meeting where community members and children were present. Even more concerning was the way he addressed a county employee with hostility and disrespect. If an elected official feels comfortable speaking to an employee in that manner in front of cameras, in front of the public, and during a meeting being recorded for posterity, then it is fair for the public to ask: how are people treated behind closed doors?
Have we learned nothing from the recent hostile work environment and harassment settlement involving the City of Fresno — a settlement that cost taxpayers millions of dollars? Is the county willing to expose itself to similar liability by allowing this kind of conduct to continue unchecked?
What made the situation even more disturbing was that when the behavior was called out, Supervisor Bredefeld doubled down and repeated the profanity even louder.
That should be unacceptable to the county.
It should be unacceptable to every member of this community.
And it should have been unacceptable to the other supervisors sitting on that dais.
Any one of them could have stepped in. Any one of them could have defended the county librarian who was being publicly berated. Any one of them could have stood up for professionalism and basic decency. Instead, they remained silent.
If there are concerns about a county employee’s performance, those concerns should be handled privately through the appropriate professional channels. Publicly humiliating an employee during a televised meeting should never be used as political theater or as an opportunity to perform for supporters in the audience.
Elected officials should not believe they are above the standards expected of the rest of us. In fact, they should be held to a higher standard. They are elected to represent all members of this community, not just the people who agree with them. Their responsibility is to listen, govern wisely, and serve the public — not to tear people down, shout expletives during meetings, or create a hostile environment.
And the hypocrisy was impossible to ignore. Members of the public were told they could not bring signs into the chamber, yet Supervisor Bredefeld displayed a large sign from the county dais promoting his own personal political agenda. He understands the optics of that. The message it sends is that his personal views, while serving as chair of the Board, are somehow elevated above the county itself.
Is that acceptable to the rest of the supervisors representing Fresno County?
If the answer is no, they have done a poor job showing it.
Leadership requires courage. Silence in the face of misconduct is not leadership. At some point, someone has to be willing to stand up and say enough is enough.
