A number of residents, relatively new to Tracy, spoke passionately at Monday’s city council meeting, with their angst aimed at the two owners of property adjacent to the new community center building.
George Tanguy and Dave Anderson, who are in dispute with the City and the contractor it hired to lead the community center project, were seated behind and just to the left of the speakers, who called them out for holding up progress on the future center.
“We moved here with purpose; we wanted to be a part of this community,” said MyKelle Tieman, who moved to Tracy about a year ago with her husband and young daughter. “I am here to address the topic of the community center — it’s one that has been in the newspaper, it was the topic at a recent council meeting, and it’s one that seems to have been a very long-running conversation. I don’t know what happened … but what I do care about is being pulled into this like a pawn.”
Tieman said the “fight” should not negatively affect Tracy residents, nor should it hinder a future service for the community.
“The residents have nothing to do with this fight,” she said. “This is a shared space that’s going to have access to tools that are fundamental for survival in today’s technological era. And it’s a key to this town for its development.”
Tieman said the technology the new center can provide is essential for people who don’t otherwise have access to the internet. And, on a much simpler level, she said it’s a place for people to come together to play games and where local clubs can meet.
“It can fill gaps that nothing in Tracy currently fills,” she added. “It is a necessary part of this community. And right now, it’s delayed because two people out of 2,000 citizens are holding the community center up.”
At issue is the property line between the center and the land owners, who say workers have been trespassing on their land as they do their work. The two parked large trailers on the west side of the building to make sure no one walks on their land and have submitted formal complaints about construction refuse being blown onto their property. They issued the City a cease and desist order last week (see corresponding story on the front page). Workers have been able to finish the exterior siding on the building.
“We’ve asked several times for a liability waiver, so when people are on our property they can’t go after us financially,” said Dave Anderson. “People are still going on our property. It’s a free world — if we do what you want us to.”
Another newer resident to town, Gayle Brumfield, also spoke Monday. She said she understands the frustration the two landowners have with the City, as she has had to comply to its rules and regulations concerning a nuisance order from the City she had to deal with in 2025. But as a senior citizen, she knows what a new center would mean for town residents.
“You have to put away your frustrations and just look at it, not as they are the enemy … I would probably be dead if not for the classes that are here that can be held there,” she said. “I need this place, and I need it without the chaos that is being caused.”
The public hearing portion of Monday’s meeting concluded with Anderson taking the podium again. He called out Tracy City Administrator Jeff Carpenter for dodging the issue and instead saying it was the contractor’s problem.
“You want them to run over our rights so you can have something, and we’re paying for it, too?’” Anderson said.
