Castanon seeking return to Dixon City Council
Of the candidates vying for a seat in Dixon City Council’s 4th District, one of them already knows what it is like to serve in that capacity.
Jerry Castanon Sr., who served on the council from 2012 to 2016, is looking to reclaim his seat, especially as Devon Minnema — who has occupied the post in the intervening time — has opted to run for mayor instead.
For Castanon, there is one thing that would be different from his previous tenure on the council if elected. While serving, Castanon also worked as a field representative for the Northern California Carpenters Regional Council. Having retired from that position in March, Castanon said he would be able to devote a lot more time to the city than he had before.
“I can put full emphasis on my community here in Dixon,” he said.
Castanon moved to Solano County with his family in 1984, initially settling in Fairfield before moving to Dixon in 2005. He was appointed to the Planning Commission in 2010 and was elected to the City Council two years later. Among the council’s achievements during his tenure, he cited approving upgrades to the wastewater treatment plant, bringing in a new firm to provide the city’s legal services and completing the B Street underpass near the train depot, which Castanon hopes will have train service eventually.
“One day, that train will stop,” he said. “Folks will think it’s not gonna stop. It will stop one day, it’s just not gonna be really soon.”
Though not re-elected in 2016, Castanon has remained busy. He has served as an executive board member of Dixon Family Services, member of the Dixon Rotary Club, grand knight with the Knights of Columbus and as a supporter of Hardhat to Helmet, which allows service members to transition to careers.
“They do an apprenticeship program,” he said. “We
get them in there, and that way we can continue to work until they get out of service.”
The decision for Castanon to return to the council came after experiencing cardiac arrest during a veterans event in Citrus Heights in 2018. Castanon was unconscious for eight and a half minutes and was revived through CPR. The incident inspired him to get back into public service.
“I’m going to continue to do what I do,” he said. “That’s being involved in public service.”
Castanon also felt his background and diversity would be beneficial to the council.
One of Castanon’s priorities is to help businesses that have been struggling during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I don’t want them going anywhere,” he said. “I want them staying here.”
Castanon said the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act and the city’s own Compliance Business Relief Fund have helped, and he wants to continue to provide assistance.
“We definitely need to continue to help (businesses) out,” he said.
Castanon also wants to move forward on construction for the Parkway Boulevard overpass, which has been discussed since 1993. The project aims to connect Parkway Boulevard from Valley Glen Drive to Pitt School Road with an overpass above the railroad tracks to create easier travel for emergency vehicles and greater access to Dixon High School.
Castanon said he felt bonds and matching funds could help finance the project, and the city could find other creative ways to make it a reality.
“I have a goal to myself that within the four years, I hope to get construction started for that overpass,” he said.
Public safety is another priority for Castanon.
“I look at it as a real essential that we have police protection and fire protection,” he said.
Castanon highlighted the scores of endorsements he received from scores of organizations, residents and elected officials, including Rep. John Garamendi, Sen. Bill Dodd, Assemblywoman Cecilia Aguiar-Curry and all five Solano County supervisors.
“(I’ve been able to) build relations with many elected officials through Sacramento and the surrounding areas,” he said. “I am very involved with getting things done and how I can get it done. Networking is a good thing,”
Castanon said he has a variety of ideas he wants to bring to the council, especially having served already.
“I’m a shovel-ready candidate,” he said. “I’m ready to go at this 100 percent.”
For more information on Castanon’s campaign, visit Jerrycastanon.com.
The other candidates in District 4 are Planning Commissioner Don Hendershot and policy commissioner Logan Legg. The district includes much of the southeastern portion of the city, including East A Street, South First Street, Valley Glen Drive, College Way, East parkway Boulevard and portions of Porter Street and South Lincoln Street. A complete map of boundaries for all districts can be found at Ci.dixon.ca.us/378/ElectionInformation.