Bakersfield's Ward 5 race heats up as Election Day approaches, three vie for seat

With Election Day less than 20 days away, the race for Bakersfield's Ward 5 City Council seat is heating up, with three candidates competing to fill the shoes of Bruce Freeman, the current council member who is not seeking re-election.

Freeman's endorsement has gone to Larry Koman, a business owner and a board member of the Kern County Law Enforcement Foundation.

Koman also received endorsements from the Chamber of Commerce, Board of Realtors, Firefighters, and Home Builders Association.

Freeman sent Eyewitness News a statement that says:

The reason for my endorsement is that Larry Koman has proven himself as astute and in touch with my own values/and positions after serving as Ward 5 Planning Commissioner for eight years and as one of my appointees to the Oversight Committee. He has been a businessman as well as a public servant and understands the process of making local government effective, while remaining fiscally conservative, and living within your means. He also understands the importance of vigorously making local government "business friendly," something I have championed for my entire eight years on the City Council. Finally, I believe that Larry has shown an ability to reach across the aisle and work with others to get things done. It is no surprise that all of the business groups in Bakersfield, from the Chamber to the Board of Realtors , have endorsed Larry. He is by far the strongest candidate to succeed me in Ward 5.

During his interview with Eyewitness News, Koman mentioned that his goals are similar to Freeman's.

He said his platform is likely to resonate with residents concerned about public safety and law enforcement issues, areas in which he has a strong record of involvement.

"Some of the most violent crimes that have occurred in Bakersfield, have occurred in the Southwest part of town. We need to have more law enforcement, more fire protection, and the way we do that is to encourage the chief of police to hire more officers," said Koman.

Some other changes he hopes to make in Southwest Bakersfield involve taxes.

He believes Ward 5 pays more money in property and sales tax due to it being a high-income area.

Koman is also turning attention to other areas that are underserved such as the Southeast, but one of his biggest concerns are the roads and parks.

"We have unfinished parks in Ward 5 where the development fees were paid for years ago but the parks never got built. We need to do a better job of getting that taken care of."

The next candidate that spoke with Eyewitness News was Kevin Oliver who is also rooted in law enforcement connections.

Working as a part-time realtor, he comes from a family with a long history of service in the field, giving him a unique perspective on issues relating to public safety and community policing.

After moving to southwest Bakersfield with his family to be close to his father who was a retired Sheriff, he decided to become a candidate in hopes of making a difference in his ward.

"I know my competitors, and so I get that they say experience matters and that they have police things on it, but they're not endorsed by the police, I am, and they feel that I am the right candidate for it and coming out here helping with the crime," said Oliver. "I've been endorsed by the BPOA, by KLEA, by Donny Youngblood."

His endorsement from law enforcement could play a crucial role in shaping the city's response to crime and security challenges.

"I think we need a councilman that's more involved, which we have not seen in the past unfortunately," added Oliver.

He touched on topics such as public safety, specifically on the road.

"We need work on creating correct bike lanes, it's creating havoc at Stockdale High School, and in a very dangerous situation for our traffic."

The third candidate, Mike Madrigal, rounds the field by bringing his own vision to Ward 5 with heavy hitter names backing his campaign.

Madrigal received endorsements from the Kern County Republican Party, as well as Congressman Vince Fong and Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

He's lived in Bakersfield for most of his life and says though the city gives off a small-town feel, it gives big-city opportunities which is the type of atmosphere he hopes to cultivate if he gets elected.

"Some of the top three that you're gonna hear, especially from some of my opponents is obviously," said Madrigal. "But another important one, it starts off with a very well-balanced budget. Balancing the budget and allocating the right resources as far as money is gonna help out."

All three candidates share similar points in what they have in store for the city, such as public safety, park renovations, mental health, tackling homelessness, and crime issues that might get worse in southwest Bakersfield if action is not taken.