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Fire Chief Joe Caballero thanks staff, raises sewer and pay concerns in Lorenzo public comment
Summary
Fire Chief Joe Caballero praised City Manager Michael Chambers and Public Works Director Chad Mobbs for mentoring him, said recurring sewer clogs have affected his household, and criticized low pay for city employees during public comment at the Oct. 14 council meeting.
Fire Chief Joe Caballero, speaking as a resident during public comment at the Lorenzo City Council meeting on Oct. 14, 2025, thanked City Manager Michael Chambers and Public Works Director Chad Mobbs for mentoring him and said those relationships helped him secure a new opportunity in Ralls.
"I came here as a citizen to thank Mike and Chad and the City of Lorenzo for giving me the opportunity for working with 'all for three years and showing me the stuff that I needed to know to get a better opportunity in Ralls," Caballero said. He added that he recently responded to a broken 12-inch water line in Ralls to illustrate the kind of operational work he has done.
Caballero told the council that, in Lorenzo, he and another resident (Janet) have experienced clogged sewer lines "three times within the last three to four months," and said low pay and a perceived lack of appreciation for city employees contributed to his decision to seek work elsewhere. "We bust our butts for the little pay that we get and we don't get appreciated," he said.
The remarks combined praise for individual staff with criticisms of pay and the challenges of maintaining infrastructure. The minutes do not record any immediate council response or a follow-up motion; the meeting proceeded to routine agenda items after public comment.
