Amador County – Lloyd Oneto, newly elected to the Ione City Council, said last week that “when three unknowns beat three incumbents” it tells him “people want change.”

Oneto, Ron Smylie and Daniel Epperson actually beat two incumbents, Lee Ard and James Ulm in the 2010 general election.

Smylie talks common sense and “feels the pulse of city, I’m sure more than I,” Oneto said, and Epperson “cares about the community and kids.” He said they “seem like good young men,” who have a lot of people depending on them: They “made a commitment” and now must “carry it through.”

Oneto was second in the vote count, with 753 votes, but said “it doesn’t matter if you win by one or a thousand. It’s still a win.”

He said: “On big issues, I like to have the people’s input,” such as a school crosswalk that needs paint, or a big hole in a street. He said he knows the new tertiary treatment plant needs to go in, but not at a $15 million to $30 million cost – the estimates he has heard.

He said maybe alternatives to the sewer plant were not looked at well enough, and “that’s the big, burning issue.” He knows Councilman David Plank has said those cost estimates were shown to be high.

Oneto said: “I don’t know for sure, but for me, if you sign on the dotted line, you better know what you’re buying,” and if city government changes, “the bill stays with the people.”

For campaign help, he thanked his wife, Rose Andrews-Oneto, who also starts a four-year term this year, having won a seat on the school board, unopposed.

Oneto said he wanted to bring transparency to Ione City Council. He said the way it is run “bothers me, otherwise I wouldn’t have ran.” He said they should “let the people paying the bills know how their money’s being spent, and where and why.” He said he “can’t really cite specifics,” and it is “not a personal vendetta thing.” He said he just wants to let people know what’s going on.

Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.