For Jerry Dyer, winning Fresno’s race for mayor was easy. Now comes the hard part

Congratulations to Jerry Dyer for winning the campaign to become Fresno’s next mayor. Now comes the hard part.

It might not feel that way to Dyer, who for months has kept up a hectic pace meeting with community and church groups, clubs and fraternal orders, experts in things like land use, and even The Bee’s Editorial Board. Campaigning is a grueling experience. But the reality is that governing is the bigger task now ahead of him.

The Bee did not recommend Dyer, but in the spirit of accepting the will of the voters and moving forward, the Editorial Board calls on all citizens to welcome him as the incoming mayor and commit to helping him achieve the “One Fresno” vision he often spoke about on the campaign trail.

The goal of “One Fresno,” which to Dyer means a city where every neighborhood is healthy and vibrant, is both overarching and ambitious. It needs everyone’s support.

Transition period

Dyer will officially take over in January. Already, however, he has plans for the transition period from current Mayor Lee Brand to his tenure. By Dyer’s own admission, how well he carries out his transition goals will determine how well he starts off as mayor.

For one thing, he wants to meet more Fresnans — even those who have disagreements with him. Such openness will be a vital tool for Dyer to utilize as he begins. Unlike the command-and-control structure of the police department he led for 18 years as chief, life as a political leader in a city as big as Fresno can get messy. As mayor, Dyer will have to remain both even keeled and open-minded in the face of opposition. It is imperative that he not hunker down in City Hall, but be engaged in the community.

Dyer told a Wednesday press conference that he plans to meet with all seven City Council members to mend fences — some of them have been critics — and learn what is important in their districts. That’s a wise move.

The mayor-elect also will join Brand in the process to find the next police chief. Current chief Andy Hall will retire early next year. It is good of Brand to include Dyer, since the mayor-elect will wind up having more interaction with the new chief.

Promise reminder

The Editorial Board reminds Dyer of a promise he made during his campaign interview with the Editorial Board: That he will let the next chief be fully in charge of the police department. The city does not need Dyer to be a super chief; he must be the mayor. That has to be clear from the get-go so Fresno can attract top-notch applicants for the job.

Dyer also promised to work with community activists on a joint tax measure to raise money for police and fire departments while also funding improvements to city parks. Parks have suffered from decades of neglect, and the longer any improvements are put off, the worse the parks become.

When it comes to City Hall staffing, particularly in the leadership ranks, Dyer said he would strive to hire people who reflect the ethnic diversity of Fresno. That is a worthy goal. He can also take simple steps to show he values the community’s richness, like attending the Fresno State Chicano/Latino commencement or stopping by a monthly naturalization ceremony.

Challenges ahead

Big problems await him. Homelessness touches every part of Fresno. The economy needs improving. Dyer said at the press conference that housing affordability is on his radar, and that long-term what that means to him is “build, build, build.” That is great, if it is done smart-smart-smart.

Once it was clear Dyer had won the race over opponent Andrew Janz, he said he teared up and felt humbled at the chance to lead Fresno for the next four years.

Here’s hoping Jerry Dyer can do great things for the city.