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Hanford's New Vice Mayor Nancy Howze: Leading with Heart and Vision

• Rob Bentley

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When Nancy Howze stepped into her role as Hanford City Council member six months ago, she brought something beyond political ambition—a genuine desire to model community service for her three children. Now, as Hanford's newly appointed Vice Mayor, she's creating waves of positive change while navigating the complex machinery of local government.

In this milestone 100th episode of The Hanford Insider, Nancy opens up about her journey from concerned citizen to city leader with refreshing candor. She reveals her mission to foster greater cohesion among council members through one-on-one connections that transcend policy disagreements. "I like to ask questions about their life and pay attention and be involved," she explains, underscoring how personal relationships strengthen governance.

The conversation delves into pressing issues facing Hanford, from the critical search for a new City Manager to implementing Measure H funding for public safety. Nancy provides an insider's look at how the recent budget approval is already transforming into tangible action—police vehicle purchases, new officer training, and efforts to address community priorities within inevitable financial constraints. Her perspective on the Hidden Valley Park project illuminates how council priorities shape community development over time, while her passionate advocacy for traffic safety near schools reveals her deep commitment to public wellbeing.

What stands out most is Nancy's heartfelt invitation for greater community involvement. "As a citizen of Hanford, you have every right to email us, call us... You will not be bothering us. It is your right to share what you think and it is our job to listen." She particularly welcomes input from younger residents and families, recognizing that without diverse community feedback, council decisions become mere guesswork.

Beyond policy talk, Nancy shares a profound message about human consideration that transcends politics. Whether discussing cell phone use in school zones or illegal fireworks affecting veterans with PTSD, her appeal for greater thoughtfulness toward others reveals the values guiding her leadership. As she reflects on her first months in office, her overwhelming feeling is gratitude—for the opportunity to serve, for the dedicated people she's met, and for witnessing firsthand the goodness in her community.

Ready to connect with your local leadership? Listen now and discover how your voice can help shape Hanford's future.

You can find the Hanford Insider at www.hanfordinsider.com and on social media at @hanfordinsider
Thank you for supporting the show!

Speaker 1:

On this episode of the Hanford Insider, we'll have an extended conversation with Hanford's new Vice Mayor, Nancy Howes, Rob will cover some community news and we'll get a quick check of the community calendar.

Speaker 2:

This is the Hanford Insider, the podcast where we dive into what makes our community tick, from local stories in Ned and Jim's to conversations with people shaping our neighborhood. We're here to celebrate, explore and connect. I'm your host, rob Bentley. Whether you're new to Hanford or longtime local, this is your source for everything happening in our town, from events and news to conversations with people who make Hanford such a great community. I hope you enjoy the format. Now let's take a look at this week's community news. Congratulations to Police Sergeant Frank Martinez for completing the Sherman Block Supervisory Leadership Institute. The program is designed to stimulate personal growth, leadership and ethical decision-making in California law enforcement frontline supervisors. Sergeant Martinez started with Hanford Police Department in November of 2007, and he currently oversees the department's Detectives and Street Crime Unit Investigators. Congratulations again, officer Martinez, on your awesome achievement.

Speaker 2:

The Hanford City Council will meet on Tuesday, july 1st At the afternoon study session at 5,. They'll receive an update on the Low Barrier Shelter Navigation Center by Kings County Community Action. Update on the Low Barrier Shelter Navigation Center by Kings County Community Action. At the general meeting beginning at 7 pm, they'll be approving various contracts for the fiscal year. They'll also have five public hearings to discuss annexations and assessments. The only item under general business is the adoption of a resolution to present to voters a measure to increase the hotel tax by 4%. This item would appear on the November ballot. This tax is not paid by residents, but those who stay in hotels or short-term rentals.

Speaker 2:

Finally, I wanted to let you know that this is the 100th episode of the Hanford Insider Podcast and the last episode of Season 2. I'll be taking a few weeks off and resuming on July 28th with all new episodes. It's been a tremendous year of growth for the show and I'd like to thank all of my wonderful guests and supporters. I encourage you to go to hanfordinsidercom and catch up on any episodes that you may have missed over the last two years. Now let's take a look at this week's community calendar. At this week's Thursday Night Marketplace they'll be celebrating Independence Day weekend with music by the band Harlow Road.

Speaker 2:

A history of Kings County agriculture display at the Carnegie Museum runs through the end of July. The museum is located at 109 East 8th Street and is open Fridays, saturdays and Sundays from 1 pm to 5 pm. They'll be closed on Independence Day, but you can always visit their virtual exhibitions and get more information about the museum at carnegiemuseumofkingscountyorg. The Plunge Swimming Pool in downtown Hanford is open seven days a week. They're open daily from noon to four and on Sundays they open at two. They're also open on Saturdays and Sundays from five to eight. On July 8th they'll be hosting their next dive-in movie, luca. See their website at hanfordcity for more information. The next free movies in the park will be on July 18th at Centennial Park, featuring the movie Migration.

Speaker 2:

On Sunday, july 6th, the Hanford Toy Anime Comic Con will be held at the Hanford Fraternal Hall from 11 am to 4 pm. On July 14th, the Children's Storybook Garden and Museum will be holding their annual Teddy Bear Picnic. The garden has lots of activities for the kids this summer, so be sure to check out their website at childrenstorybookgardenorg. If you have an event coming up and you'd like some help getting the word out, let's work together. Send your information to hanfordinsider at gmailcom. Be sure to subscribe to my weekly newsletter to get a complete calendar of events. It's the most comprehensive community calendar available. Well, we are here at the end of July and this is the 100th episode of the Hanford Insider, and I can't think of a better way to celebrate it than with our new Vice Mayor Nancy Howes. Welcome to the show, nancy.

Speaker 3:

Thank you, Rob.

Speaker 2:

So, nancy, you have been on the Council for six months and we have a lot of things to talk about today, but I'd like to start first with how things are going with your family. I know there's been a lot of adjustments and schedules and such to make this all work. How's things going in the House?

Speaker 3:

Everything's going really well but, rob, thank you for asking.

Speaker 3:

I feel like this was an incredible opportunity to really to show my children a good example of community service and caring about others and putting your money where your mouth is and putting in the time to care about the city you live in, in this instance, and just getting involved in local politics and just basically caring.

Speaker 3:

In general, I feel incredibly supported by my family. My oldest son, who I always said during the campaign Jackson, he was my number one biggest fan was always there to support me and sometimes I even feel like he's a little bit of a kind of a boss. He's always there to say, mom, did you do this, did you do that? So he keeps me on my toes, which is great. But the main thing that I love is that I look out at the city council meetings and I see his face every single week. He brings friends sometimes. Sometimes my middle son comes if he's up to it, but I really like seeing them out there and they enjoy being there and that makes me happy that and they are always ready to go to an event with me or do anything with me. So I really appreciate all the support.

Speaker 2:

That's great. That's great to see them there in the audience as well. So in your experience on the council, you've had, like I said, six months now and you've got to meet a lot of people and you've had the chance to learn a lot of new things. What are some things that you've done with fellow council members to kind of gel and get along with each other and make these important decisions?

Speaker 3:

kind of gel and get along with each other and make these important decisions. Well, my number one goal going into this position was to get a more cohesive council and I wanted us to have better relations with one another. So and I feel that I'm good at that I genuinely like people, I like being around people, I like talking to people and I love learning about them. So I've spent time, you know, meeting with my fellow council members one on one, getting to know them. I always feel it's important to know somebody on a personal level too, and not just work, so I like to ask questions about their life and pay attention and be involved. If there's an opportunity to be supportive of a fellow council member, I want to do that as I can. So I really I started there.

Speaker 3:

I feel as though we are making progress on that. I feel like we especially our last meeting was much more. You know, I want to see a lot of respect on the dais and I feel like we're moving towards that direction, which is really important to me, as we're going to be looking for a new city manager and it's important to me that we put our best foot forward as a council, because, essentially, a city manager has a. Really it's a very interesting position because they're essentially, when they're going to look for a job, they're kind of hiring. I mean, they're looking to hire their next boss, essentially, or to work for their next boss. So I feel like, as a council, it's really important that we are a strong, unified council that shows respect to one another.

Speaker 2:

So the council has certainly not been short of important decisions to make. You've had some incredible transitions of positions and policies and decisions to make regarding parks and recreation, downtown traffic. You've had a lot on your plate so far.

Speaker 3:

We have, we have. And one thing you saying that just really this idea popped into my head One thing that I have learned in the last six months as a council member I really respect the process that is in place and I really think that it works well. I like the rules, so to speak, of how we conduct ourselves as a council, and what I mean by that is, for instance, there's been times on the dais where I go into the meeting and I have my notes and I've got my questions answered. I've met with Mario or whoever I need to, in the city that week to understand, because you've got to realize I'm new, so I have to learn. Like when we're doing something. Say, I was learning about road overlays a few weeks ago and what that meant. So I ask a lot of questions. So I go to a meeting and I'm ready to go. However, when my fellow council members start asking questions and the conversation starts.

Speaker 3:

I've had times where I have changed my mind. For example, I believe it was when we were discussing whether or not to make the mayor term two years. Right now it is currently one year. We reorganize every December. I had gone into it thinking I think two years is good, but then my fellow council member, regan, had said a few things and I heard her points. I was like, actually I'm with Regan on this one. I want to keep it at one year, and the reason why I'm bringing that back to the process is you can go with your research and your idea, but it's so important that you're open to hearing other people or your fellow council members and your constituents if there's public comment made that's relevant to that, that you're open to hear those. The other side of you know the issue.

Speaker 3:

So I would say our biggest decision going forward is going to be hiring a new city manager. Going forward is going to be hiring a new city manager and right now we're in the process of hiring a firm that will facilitate that search, which I think is a great step, and we all agreed on that unanimously as a council to use an outside firm. That is wonderful. So I'm very much looking forward to seeing that process play out. I am very interested in finding the best fit for Hanford that we possibly can and, being that our city manager just went through a recruitment process of his own in Arizona, he came back with a lot of really good ideas that they used. That we would also like to implement and it would be basically more community involvement. So when Travis and I conduct those interviews with those firms, I will definitely we will be asking those questions to make sure that we find a firm that is willing to really work with us.

Speaker 2:

So you've already completed one process. I understand that were firms that applied to be a part of this process and be considered to be the firm that is going to be searching for our new city manager. How did you come across this list and narrow it down to the top two that you're going to interview?

Speaker 3:

Well, sarah and Brenda, our lovely PR, pr not PR HR team, they put it out for bid that we were interested and then companies, firms, sent us. We got 11 firms interested and then we went through them. Each five council members, went through them on our own and ranked them. And then last Thursday we had a special meeting in which we chose the top two to interview and our rankings were all in line with one another. So it was very easy to choose the top two because it was clear that everybody we all liked the same top two.

Speaker 2:

So the process from here, then, is that you'll interview those two firms and then select the firm that will eventually be responsible for a nationwide search. So what kind of things are you looking for in a new city manager?

Speaker 3:

Well, and that's something that definitely I would love it. If your listeners would like to add input, you are always this is something I want to make sure that I get in this interview out there is that, as a council member, feedback is very much welcome and appreciated. Do not feel that you will be bothering us. This is our job, this is what we've signed on to do and I would love any feedback. If people have specifics or constructive ideas, I would love to hear it.

Speaker 3:

My personal goals is finding somebody who I want, somebody who's very active in the community, somebody who, even if they're not from here, obviously wants to really enmesh themselves and really jump in, because I think it's important to have city manager representation at events. I really think, and I also think the community wants that. I think the community has been speaking and I've heard that they really want city staff that is invested in the community and I think they show that by being at places. So I really wanna find somebody who would like to participate in as many of our activities as possible. I would like to find somebody who is I think we have a lot of very good things in place and we have a lot.

Speaker 3:

We just approved our budget for the year we are. We have a lot of systems going. What I'm looking for is somebody to continue our forward momentum that we have. We have goals established and that they're ready to hop in there and get on board with our goals. And I'm assuming anybody you know will do that. But it's important to me that at least that we discuss that. I can tell that the City of Hanford employees like where they work. I think that everybody they like working for Mario right now. So I'd like to find it really matters to me that we find somebody that's a good fit for the organization. Being a business owner myself, I know how important upper management is and it's important to have the right people to guide your ship.

Speaker 2:

For sure. So city manager is obviously going to be a big topic for a year or so. What are some of the other things that the council is looking forward to studying and making decisions about?

Speaker 3:

Well, we have our budget has passed, so anything we have, we have our Measure H and all of that is very lined out. So now we're in the process of actually fulfilling some of these goals. So we just ordered two weeks ago we approved the ordering of 10 new police vehicles for our new officers that all Measure H funded. So I feel like right now we're in implementation mode because the budget has passed. And now I was very impressed this is my first six months, my first budget season that we just finished to see that it moved that quickly. We approved the budget the first Tuesday of June and the second meeting we were approving the ordering of police vehicles and other things that are also slated to be happening. So I really like that we're actually hitting the ground running. So I feel like now we're in moving mode. We're doing things and hiring people. Just yesterday I know that our police chief was training their new staff. So it's very exciting to see that we have new staff and we have new equipment for them and new vehicles.

Speaker 3:

In terms of like I know, everybody's very the money.

Speaker 3:

It's always a money thing. If we could do everything in the world, we would do it now, but unfortunately there are so many budgetary constraints and it's really sticking to the plan that we have, because anything this is something that I didn't know, so I'll share it with your listeners but once your budget is approved, anything that you spend that is not in that budget has to come out of the general fund. So it's very it's not a decision we take lightly. Just at the last meeting, there was discussion about a drone show and that was not in the budget, so it's a tough decision. I obviously want to provide fun, I want there to be wonderful recreation opportunities for people, but we can't do everything all at once, and I know that we're very interested in getting grants and that is essentially how we will get things done, like parks is through grants, because unfortunately, our budget just doesn't allow for that. They shouldn't be extras, in my opinion, in a perfect world, but that's not what we have right now. They are extras our extras.

Speaker 2:

So you mentioned parks and I'll share with the listeners that those of you on the Hanford Insider email list received an email from me last week asking for questions for Nancy and things that are important to them, and we did have Mickey Stoddard submitted a question about Hidden Valley Park and I know that it's a long history of Hidden Valley Park, but where do we stand on that?

Speaker 3:

Well, right now we're in an environmental review. Once that is complete, then we can begin to make a plan going forward. Do we have a plan? Not exactly. I'm going to be honest with people, because there's a lot of back and forth. You know, the community is giving us input and we're receiving it, and some people would love to see the Hidden Valley Park expansion happen and some people wouldn't. But right now we're in the environmental review, which is something that is mandated by the state of California. It's not something that we cannot do. So that's kind of one of the points I want to make too.

Speaker 3:

There, I know it can seem kind of clunky and slow. It's like you have to do this review, you have to do a study. It's not as simple as like hey, we need a new traffic light, let's put one up. There is a whole set of processes that you have to do first and in the state of California especially, you're going to have an environmental review for every single thing that you do. Yeah, if we'd only left that parkland as parkland, we wouldn't be going through all of this. In that I will say so the reason that history is so when you analyze the history, what you see is councils over the years had different priorities. So you can see when the park which council. When the park was a priority, the decisions were made in that favor. When the park is not a priority by council, the decisions are not made in that favor.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, and that's what we're witnessing firsthand. You mentioned also input from constituents, and that's actually where I wanted to head next, because you hear from a lot of your constituents in various forms obviously the public comment section at council meetings, maybe those parking lot meetings afterwards. How do you balance all of this input and determine what's best for your area?

Speaker 3:

Well, I have a very I'm a very organized person, so I keep notes on everything. That way I don't let things fall through the cracks and forget to follow up with anybody. So I just maintain really good notes on that. But I want to highlight with your question that I want everybody to know that as a citizen of Hanford, you have every right to email us, call us. All of our numbers and email addresses are on the website. If you just put in the Google search, city of Hanford, city Council, it'll pop right up and there we all are. You can send the city clerk an email. You can drop off documents whatever. It doesn't matter if you don't have to be technologically savvy. You could bring something into the city clerk that you want distributed to the city council and she will make that happen. So I realize public comment is two minutes and that might not feel like enough to get it all out, but we have other avenues and your council members. We are all happy to meet with anybody one-on-one, set up a time. We will speak to you on the phone, whatever we work out, and so I really encourage people and even if you want to send a quick text like hey, the park's a priority to me Crosswalk, it's such and such, the light's not working. I mean we do have a MyHamford app that you can do that on, but I don't discourage people from reaching out to us. Or if you even just have a question like hey, what's going on with the light at 10th and Lacey, I mean now it's fixed, thank goodness. But please I encourage people to please reach out. You will not be bothering us.

Speaker 3:

It is your constitutional right to share what you think and it is our job to listen, and we're happy to listen, and I actually am in the position where I would love more feedback. Tell me what your priorities are, tell me what you want to see, and I would love to hear from all age demographics as well. I know our average median age is 31 and a half years, and I would love to hear from some of the younger folks, the people with younger children and new families starting out. I would love to hear from some of the younger folks, the people with younger children and new families starting out. I would love to know what your priorities are, because I'm very recreation focused. We all know that. I campaigned on that and I want to hear what people want, because if we don't know what you want, we don't know. You know we're kind of, you know, then it's based on well, we think this is a good idea, but without true community input we're guessing, and I don't. I would love more community input. And it doesn't. And people often think you know.

Speaker 3:

I remember being in marketing class when I was in college and I'll never forget. The statistic was if you go out to a restaurant and you have a bad meal, you would. You're going to tell an average five people. If you go to a restaurant and you have a fabulous meal, the statistics going to tell an average five people. If you go to a restaurant and you have a fabulous meal, statistics show you're not telling anybody. So even if you want to give a little shout out like hey, I really appreciate the light being fixed, or I went to the Juneteenth celebration and it was awesome, or you know, whatever the thing is, even positive feedback, we'll take it all.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, so there's actually been a community effort. And I got another question regarding the centennial speed between Lacey and Grangeville and Grangeville and Fargo. That's a pretty wide street and there's community members that are looking at pushing for studies, traffic studies to see if something might be helpful there, either in terms of speed limit or crosswalks. What do you know about that?

Speaker 3:

So Centennial and Greenfield is I mean, it's not directly, but it's right where the softball complex is, where the children leaving Sierra Pacific to cross over into the neighborhood when they cross Centennial. They did a traffic study on that and it doesn't. We can't because of the, the width of the lane and there was some other. I won't get into the technicalities, but it doesn't warrant a light. But what we can do are there. It's called a bulb out. So what that does is it actually essentially essentially narrows the crosswalk so there's less physical space for the the person to cross, and we can also get a rapid flashing light beacon, which is the button that you press that illuminates so cars can be alerted to that. So we are in the process of that. We are, that has been. It's just going to be a process.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, there's one of those that was just installed near my school that I teach at Lamar Elementary School. There on Bush Street, by the park, they did the bulb out and crosswalk section. So if you haven't seen what Nancy was talking about, that would be a good example of things that can be done to kind of mitigate the traffic concerns and getting students to school and activities safely students to school and activities safely.

Speaker 3:

One thing I will say too, rob I'm learning in this position that a lot of time, money and effort by both our PD and our fire and anybody in public safety for that matter ambulance and everything is if we would all, as humans, just be a little bit more considerate of other people. I've, my children are now 17, 13, and 10. And I have been the primary parent driving them to and from school these years and I have seen for years people on their cell phones in the drop-off line. I've seen for years people speeding by schools and that's to me the real problem, like speeding by schools and that's to me the real problem, and same with fireworks. If people would do the right thing and think about other humans first, yeah, your phone call might be important, but is it more important than that kid getting to school? No, and there comes a point where I would really encourage people to think about other people. Just think about them long enough, because at the end of the day, you could have a speed limit sign posted that was 25. You could have a bulb out, you could have a rapid flashing light beacon. You could even have a legitimate crosswalk with a light and somebody on their cell phone can still blow through it.

Speaker 3:

And that's what I worry about, because when my son was learning to drive, I became a passenger again in the car and I was able to look. You know, once I felt comfortable. Of course I was able to look at other vehicles and I remember we went to LA a lot last summer because our dog went blind and he was going to the doctor there and Jackson would drive and I would sit in the passenger seat and I saw. So I counted one day I saw more big rig drivers on their phone than not and that scared me. We're on the 99, we're on the grapevine and I just thought to myself we're losing something in humanity here because you cannot, you can't regulate, you can't find people, you can't. You know. There's just not enough things you can do in the world that will ever bring somebody back if you've made that mistake and you've been on your phone and you were to cause a tragic accident.

Speaker 3:

So I would really encourage people like I am not saying that public safety doesn't have a huge component, they do, but it's just like with the fireworks, like people don't think about dogs, people don't think I did not know, until a couple of years ago, that the Fourth of July is horrible for people suffering from PTSD and veterans, because I hadn't thought about that and knowing that that it's a day to be endured and I see it in my own dog.

Speaker 3:

But to think of humans, it's just in the think that there was a structure fire because people aren't thinking of these things. I remember that gender reveal party some years ago that they had done some kind of fire work and it started a huge, massive fire, and it is. People are not thinking enough about other humans and their safety and they have a right to cross the street, you know. So it's not to say that we don't need traffic control. We do, but at the end of the day, you can't control somebody from speeding, you can't control somebody from being on their phone. So it's up to all of us to really, when you get in your car today and when you're making decisions, really think about other people.

Speaker 2:

Well, great words of advice, great words of advice. And I told you when we started this that you can go as deep as you want, and it gives us an insight into your heart. So when you do make decisions, people feel like they know you a little bit better and know why you're grounded in the way that you are. So, nancy, thank you so much. Do you have any final words for our listeners? With the Fourth of July holiday coming up, affected by it.

Speaker 3:

We live in a dry, dry, dry state. It's just not a good situation, but I would rather leave people on this note. We've talked a lot about the nuts and bolts of things, but I will say, overall, overwhelming feeling in the last six months is gratitude. I feel so grateful to be in this position. I feel so, so grateful to have met the people I've met. There are so many wonderful people in this city and outside of the city who are doing amazing things, who genuinely care, who are putting people first. What I'm most grateful for is that I get to serve on the KCAO board and that is something that I love and cherish and to be in a room full of people who are just doing in my opinion, god's work. They're just doing the best things. It's a true honor and I feel like it's really, even though I've definitely seen you know, when you're a council person, you get all the problems but I've also seen a beautiful side of humanity. There's people. If people tell you in the world that people aren't good, they're not right. You're just not with the right people, Because I've gotten to meet some really, really, really great people and I take this role very seriously and when I have opportunities to go to Sacramento and to be in part of League of Cities which is League of Cities is a governing board, essentially for California cities and meeting other people in other communities.

Speaker 3:

We're all the same. We all have the same problems. It doesn't matter if you're in LA. Even if you're here, we're all dealing with an unhoused population that we need to house. We have that in common. We're all dealing with fentanyl. We are all dealing with the same things and I actually find that comforting. So I just want to leave on a positive note that I've met really awesome people. There's people doing really really good work and I really like that. I get to be a witness to that.

Speaker 2:

Well, and we were witness to the affirmation of your heart and your hard work on the city council by being recently elected to the vice mayor position. So congratulations on that, and we want to wish you all a great summer, and thank you for visiting with us, nancy.

Speaker 3:

Thank you.

Speaker 2:

Well, that's all the time we have for this week's show. If you enjoyed this podcast and you'd like to show your support, you can go to buymeacoffeecom forward slash Hanford Insider to make a donation If you'd like to join the Hanford Insider to make a donation. If you'd like to join the Hanford Insider email list, stop by my website at Hanford Insider dot com to sign up for updates. You'll also get an exclusive copy of my newsletter in your inbox each week. I also need your help getting the word out about the show by liking and sharing on social media or telling a friend For more information about the show. You can find this podcast on Facebook, instagram, threads X and YouTube at Hanford Insider. If you have a show idea, be sure to email me at hanfordinsider at gmailcom and I'll look into it. Thanks for listening. Have a great summer. I'll be back on July 28th.

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Rob Bentley

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