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trying to do things in a way that should be done experienced major drama, throwing it into chaos correctly.” and uncertainty over whether it can even survive. Burt and Lenahan, who didn’t immediately DPMWD provides drinking water in the respond to messages seeking comment, and Arden-Arcade area to houses built largely between Harrington campaigned on a number of promises, the 1940s and ’60s. Two wells are currently down including that they could cut operational expenses and the district has an estimated $20 million to by 25%. $30 million in deferred work, according to interim “I can tell you there isn’t 25% fat in there, so I general manager Leo Havener. “It’s an extremely aging infrastructure,” Havener don’t see them being able to do that one,” Sedwick said. told SN&R. “It’s pretty much outlived almost its Another board member, Bob Matteoli, objected entire lifespan.” in a Nov. 5 written statement to the new board’s The district has attempted to finance infrastrucfrequent use of ad hoc committees and requested ture work in recent years with an approximately they all be dissolved. One of these committees $5 million bond issue in 2010 and a series of authorized removal of files from the district’s old subsequent rate increases. This hasn’t sat well with office in July, with some files going to the new Marissa Burt, John Lenahan and Trish Harrington, office and the rest being sent to a landfill. who campaigned against the increases, were elected Sedwick said personnel files at the new office to the board in November 2018 and have clashed were also broken into. Asked if a board member with staff since. was responsible, Havener replied, “I can neither At the district’s Nov. 5 board meeting, former confirm nor deny that. This is one of those areas I general manager Debra Sedwick—who resigned wish I could tell you because I am hell-bent by the May 31 along with two of DPMWD’s three staff Brown Act.” members—told the board that personnel files she’d According to a letter obtained by SN&R from left in a locked filing cabinet at the district’s Maryal Sacramento County Supervisor Susan Peters, who Drive office wound up in an unsecured box. Artist Judi exploresAttorney’s changing California represents the area, bothConnelly the District Sedwick told SN&R the files contained copies landscapes. Photo by Patrick hyun Wilson Office and Sacramento Local Agency Formation of marriage and birth certificates, Social Security Commission are now paying attention. numbers and other sensitive information—“what Carol Rose, who lives across the street from is needed for somebody to steal your identity. And the district’s old are offices, acknowledged there’s that’s what makes me nervous.” in Northern California non-native or invasive been talk of a recall election, though it’s unlikely Sedwick, who has requested an independent species, I was hooked.” to happen. “Of course we’ve talked about it,” Rose investigation, isn’t the only person to reach their Connelly worked with the McLaughlin Natural toldspending SN&R. “But No. 1, it’s aexpensive breaking point with the board. Chief legal counselReserve, days removing 600-foot and line No. of 2, I don’t think we’re going to be able to save this Adam Brown resigned Nov. 27 after unsuccessfully non-native grass and replacing it with native grasses. by PAtriCk of Hyun Wilson district.” advocating for an investigation the file breach. The work resulted in a time-lapse video documentHavenerlandscape, sees the district Harrington quit three days later. ing the changing which ultimately is screenedhaving in front to merge with another. “It’s not matter ofgrass. if,” Havener himself briefly during the Nov. 5of a bench As a developer and humanitarian, Ali quit Youssefi drove set up next to bushels of thea removed Havener said. the “It’sbench, truly asunrise matterand of when.” Ω meetingofbefore Brown persuaded him to the development the Warehouse Artists Lofts onstay R on Projected high over sunset the condition he notatbeVerge required to attend Street, served as a boardthat member Center for anyrapidly speed by as a thin path cuts through an expanthe Arts and was a key figure in the redevelopment of sive landscape of golden brown. The image evokes a Sacramento’s K Street. strong sense of the massive amount of labor that the Youssefi lost his battle with cancer and passed project required. away on Mar. 10, 2018, but his legacy continues to Michael Pribich’s exhibition Backstitch explores influence and guide the arts in Sacramento. Ali’s sister local agricultural labor, the shift from hand to machine Ladi and wife Azzie formed the Ali Youssefi Project, and Sacramento’s colonial history. and with the help of Verge, put together its first “The idea that I developed—a process called initiative last spring. de-weaving where I started taking the bags apart—is “Ladi and Azzie asked that in lieu of flowers, kind of a metaphor for de-weaving history,” Pribich donations be made in his name,” says Liv Moe, explains. founding director at Verge. “Then they decided like, Unraveled bulk bags, restitched into tapestries ‘What are we going to do with this and how are we adorned with orange and black trim, hang from the going to use that fund to make a difference doing walls. On it, printed words such as “rice” or “walnuts” something that he cared about?’” take on abstract forms divorced from their original They announced a three-to-six month-long artists in meaning. residency program, which would provide studio space “I have a physical process that I’m doing, but at Verge and a $500 monthly stipend, and culminate in I’m thinking about the history of the Valley and how an exhibition at Verge. histories were changed, language was changed, people The inaugural recipients, local artist Jodi Connelly were moved and the place was colonized.” Pribich and New York artist Michael Pribich, were chosen says. “My art is trying to look at the possibility of a by a panel of judges including Ladi Youssefi. Their decolonized setting.” exhibitions opened on Dec. 14. Ladi hopes that the initiative is the first of many to “They both have a lot of confidence in their bear Ali Youssefi’s name and carry on his legacy in work and in the message that their work sends,” Sacramento’s arts community Ladi says. “I thought that they were using art as “I just hope that we can keep growing and be able way to convey a message, and to me that’s the to reach more creatives and innovators and artists in most powerful kind of art.” Sacramento and beyond,” she said, “and develop the Connelly’s show—titled Before You Were This artists in residency program, but create other initiatives Place, You Were Another Place— encapsulates her that add to our community to continue to keep Ali’s search for transformation in her art and the connection name going.” □ she has to the environment. “I moved here from the East coast, so when I got here, I was really interested in how different the land check out two new shows by artists Jodi connelly and Michael Pribich at Verge is and how brown everything is most of the year,” Connelly said. “When I learned that 90% of the grasses center for the arts, 625 s st., vergeart.com. through February 16.
In memoriam
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14 | SN&R | 12.19.19
12/26 • 7:00 PM scrooged 12/27 • 8:30 PM Howl’s moving castle 12/28 • 2:00 & 7:30 PM selena 12/29 • 2:00 PM aladdin IndIana Jones &
1/2 • 7:00 PM the teMPle of dooM 1/3 • 7:30 PM grease 1/4 • 6:30 PM tHe Big leBowsKi 1/7 • 7:30 PM conan tHe BarBarian 1/8 • 7:00 PM Blue Hawaii 1/12 • 2:00 PM toy story douBle Feature 1013 K street downtown sacramento • (916) 476-3356 • crestsacramento.com
22 | SN&R | 12.26.19