“I haven’t ruled it out,” Dyer said.
What about a soon-to-be-announced press conference?
“I haven’t gotten to that point,” Dyer said.
What can you tell us?
“The only thing I want to say publicly is that there have been a number of people that have encouraged me to enter the mayoral race, and I have not ruled that out,” Dyer said. “I would imagine that in the next few weeks I’ll be able to make that decision – what I’m going to do in 2016 – public. That could be staying as police chief or doing something different.”
That day of reckoning on the Dyer future – will it come before Thanksgiving?
“I don’t think so,” Dyer said.
How about before Christmas?
“Yes,” Dyer said. “I think it’s important that, no matter what I do, I make that decision public. That’s so people can decide what they’re going to do, people running for office or people internally (in the Police Department).”
There are a lot of Nervous Nellies out there, right?
“There’s been this speculation for so long about a number of people in our city who are contemplating running for office, whether it’s for mayor or another” job, Dyer said. “At some point, people need to make those decisions public. That’s what I plan to do, as well.”
Dyer then repeated himself.
“I have not ruled that out,” he said.
Just to be clear about the meaning of “that,” I said, “You mean being mayor?”
Dyer jumped at my assumption.
“Running for mayor.”
The June 2016 primary is less than seven months away. Fresnans pay their mayor $130,000 a year. The job’s benefits are many. Its status is considerable. Its power even more so.
Yet, Fresno City Council Member Lee Brand is so far is the only declared candidate with the experience and support to actually win.
This will change in short order. Until then, let’s chew a bit on the job of chief executive in California’s fifth largest city.
The Chief will be our primary focus.
