Full Biography for Jesse L. Alexander

Candidate for
Director; Modesto Irrigation District; Division 5

You may recall that my last exposure in a local race was for Modesto City Council in 1995 and 1997.  In 1995, I ran in a very competitive 6-person race for the Modesto City Council that went to runoff vote in a special election.  There, the win was missed by a mere 28 votes out of 22,000 total votes cast. 

In 1997, just one day after I again filed for that office, I was offered a significant position with the Employment Development Department in Sacramento.  Although it was to late to exclude my name on the ballot, I did formally withdraw from the race and publicly endorsed and campaigned for another very fine candidate.  Surprisingly, I still received almost 10% of the total vote.

However, my desire for elected public service was initially heighten when I first ran for the MID Board of Directors, Division 5 in 1991.  It was a very competitive three person race where the current incumbent of then, 20 years was replaced.  There I saw and felt the same concerns then that I feel today.  That is, a sense of complacency that becomes endemic on a board from long term service which enables missed opportunities to our farming and business communities.  I believe it is costing local ratepayers more than necessary in their monthly bills and future water reliability for our farms.  Today, the same incumbent who has again served, now for over 24 years, was running unopposed until I entered the race.

Since moving to Modesto in 1979, I have raised two sons in west Modesto.  During this time, I have served the Both Stanislaus County and the City of Modesto in many community capacities.  I served as President of the United Way of Stanislaus County and a Chairman of the City of Modesto Planning Commission.   I have dealt with a multitude of land use and natural resource issues.  My degree is in Electronic Engineering.  I have also taught electronics as an instructor at Modesto Junior College. 

During my professional career currently with the California Employment Development Department, Processing Manager II; Procter and Gamble; as an Officer in the United States Marine Corps, and Control Data Corporation, I have successfully directed many major electronic, electrical, and computer system projects.

I will push for the enactment of policies which insure that any expansion of district facilities will; contribute to slower rate increases, attract local Job Opportunities and maintain future water quality, quantity and distribution.  I will do this by actively soliciting the input of the farming and urban users of MID Division 5.