By Gary Meyer with Patric Hedlund, TME

Long-haul truckers and kids needing bathroom breaks before their final 60 miles into Los Angeles were treated to a spectacle of picketers on Tuesday, Oct. 5 in Gorman, which boasts a population of about 30.

Six picketers were hired by homeless shelter developer Alex Frankian to make some noise over his displeasure with the time it has taken for Golden Valley Mutual Water District to analyze the occupancy data he provided them in the past few weeks.

The words, “Where are your records? Who has the answers? CONSPIRACY?” glared from one sign while “Faulty Sewage System. PROVE IT!” screamed from another.

Frankian’s spokesperson, Rhonda Kersey (who said she was hired as “an event planner”), said that GVMWD board of directors is refusing to say why they won’t issue a “Will Serve” letter to Lake Hughes Recovery. Owner Alex Frankian is now …(please see below to view full stories and photographs)

Photo captions:

Picketers were comfy and relaxed across the street from the Golden Valley Municipal Water District in Gorman on Tuesday and Wednesday, Oct. 5 and 6, this week. Asked what they were picketing about, one said he didn’t know. Asked if he was a resident of the Lake Hughes Recovery treatment program and being paid, he said, “Yeah. I didn’t have anything better to do.”

Left: Picketers with little interest in the issues held printed signs on the sidewalk across the street from the Golden Valley Municipal Water District (which serves Gorman) on Tuesday, Oct. 5.

Right, above: Jonnie Allison of Frazier Park spoke with picketers.

Right: LHRS “Event Planner” and Alex Frankian employee Rhonda Kersey

In an animated emergency public meeting between Lake Hughes Recovery Shelter employees and Gorman’s Golden Valley Municipal Water District Board, the LHRS employees (left) refused to identify themselves to reporters. (right) Golden Valley board president Ryan Ralphs (with GVMWD office manager Patti Edwards looking on) were both trying to explain their positions.

Below: At issue is Alex Frankian’s attempt to turn the biggest building in Gorman into a full-time, full-occupancy homeless shelter and treatment center. The former hotel has never been fully occupied.

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This is part of the October 8, 2021 online edition of The Mountain Enterprise.

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