Before the swearing-in for the two new Newman City Council members – Gisel Pimentel and Matthew L. Harden – during a city council meeting on December 10, Newman Mayor Casey Graham handed former council member Laroy McDonald a memorial plaque for his years of service. With the council chambers nearly filled with those in attendance, Laroy stood tall and gave a speech.
“Be an asset for the city and all the people that you’re going to be representing,” Laroy alluded to the new council members. “I know you won’t have the chance to get to know them but they will know you by the work that you do.”
The speech reflected on what Laroy saw over the past couple of years and the spirit of a community located in the rural areas of Stanislaus County…