Retirement Party for Council Member Jerry Jones, Dec. 16, 2022

Lemon Blossom Hall at the Lemon Grove Senior Center brimmed on Dec. 16 with a who’s who of builders of Lemon Grove and adjacent county cities, all gathered to hail retiring City Council member, Jerry Jones.

Jones is now officially “Farmer Jones” and he isn’t leaving the ‘Grove. With his family, chickens, pets, tractor, mulch heap and gardens intact, he’s still all ours.

Lydia Romero, city manager, launched the program. She and her staff mounted a delicious dinner and brought in Lemon Grove’s Big Boys Tacos to make and serve the real thing.

Mayor Raquel Vasquez emceed the program with just the right note: adroit handling of events, smooth introductions, gentle humor and charm. She praised Jones for his fairness, excellent preparation for each council meeting, warm friendship and knowledge of civic and county ordinances.

Vasquez noted that a further acknowledgement of Jerry’s long service to the community—council member, school board member, band parent chair, service on county committees, volunteer for countless local and area non profits—would be given at the Dec. 20 city council meeting.

Mayor Vasquez introduced many tributes, starting with Laura Hook, president of the Lemon Grove Historical Society. Her graceful, amusing comments noted her own and Jones’s involvement with local schools—Hook was PTA president of the whole shebang.

Helen Ofield, historical society historian, chimed in, saying that band parent Jones donated a 1947 school bass drum to the historical society, now among its most prized artifacts.

Hook presented Jones with a photograph of him on his fabled tractor, a certificate from the historical society, and a plaque shaped like a mini Big Lemon.

Beth Gentry, Chula Vista Public Works director, formerly chaired METRO TAC (that’s the Metropolitan Wastewater Joint Powers Authority, to you; otherwise known as the sewer system). Gentry led off a tidal wave of waste water jokes, a Jones favorite topic. Gentry fought back her own chuckles as she detailed Jones’ involvement with waste water. He later said, “Don’t laugh—waste water built the Roman Empire” (shouts of laughter).

Graham Mitchell, former city manager and now El Cajon’s city manager—“You traitor!” observed Ofield—clearly has a second career in stand-up comedy. He reflected on his 12-year service with Jones, asking, “Why do we need Wikipedia when we have Jerry?” After relating Jerry’s special method of how to insult people 2,000 ways (actually 8,000)—this is a family newspaper, so we won’t detail this—Mitchell noted, “Jerry made small town life fun.”

Mary Sessom, the City’s former 22-year mayor and council member, hearkened back to the 1980 first General Plan (Lemon Grove incorporated in 1977 as California’s 414th city), noting that Jones attended every meeting. “I had to ask, who’s the stalker?” (laughter). She stated the evening’s consensus: Jerry’s total recall of votes and ordinances was based on his thorough homework; he “looked out for the good of Lemon Grove; never dealt in party politics; put civic good before personal ambition” (wild applause). She also referenced Jerry’s concern about waste water, a theme that reduced the crowd to, well, rubble.

George Gastil, a sitting council member, said he was the first to utter “democrat” in open session and to “admit to being a Democrat.” He and Jones served the school board at the same time, with Gastil “learning from Jerry how to work with others [because] he was a wonderful school board member, with a passion for the town. He was fair, practical, and had an admirable, influential knowledge of policy issues.” Gastil and Jones ran against each other for school board. Said Gastil, “If you’re going to lose, lose to Jerry” (laughter; applause).

Dona Clabby gave a touching tribute from the Clabbys—her husband, Tom Clabby, was a 14-year council member— praising Jones’ “perseverance, knowledge and integrity. And, hey, waste water is the best!” (laughter). She noted, “Cheryl [Jones], the artist, on our anniversary created a beautiful sign for our kitchen ‘and they lived happily ever after’” (applause).

Jennifer Mendoza, a sitting council member, served 10 years on the Planning Commission (“Jerry talked about waste water at every meeting”), then ran for city council. “I just wanted to beat Jerry or Howard [Cook]; I beat Howard. Jerry phoned to congratulate me, we went to breakfast and Jerry talked for three and a half hours” (laughter).

In a coup-de-grâce, Jerry Jones, Jr., eldest son of the honoree, brought down the house—but almost moved the crowd to tears as he acknowledged his mother’s role in holding the household together. Cheryl Jones is a cancer survivor, whose chiseled beauty belies her health issues and management of their 15-year auto repair business in town—Jones once built and raced cars. Said Junior, ‘I’m the younger, better-looking Jerry—and I have a tractor” (laughter). “Life was a doozy with my crazy parents, and I was an a— teenager” (laughter). Now, as a chip off the old block, JJ, Jr. serves on the La Mesa Planning Commission.

Vasquez wrapped the program by praising Cheryl Jones and presenting Jerry with a handsome plaque from the City, a large lemon tree for the “farm,” and a two-sided, green street sign reading “Jerry’s Place” and the City logo. Said Jones, “I’ve had no luck with lemon trees. This one will thrive on waste water” (laughter, applause). He asserted, “Always appreciate the staff—they know a lot and labor behind the scenes. I’m grateful to all who put this evening together and all who came to participate in the fun.”

In the crowd of all ages were little kids, Ilse Hanning, the town’s den mother whose accomplishments on school, civic, church and volunteer fronts are the stuff of legend; Jim and Ann Elliott, the political consultants (“no stories until we’re dead”) and managers of Western Graphics, famed printer- consultants in the ‘Grove; John and Anne Dufon, long-time residents and volunteers; Steve South, CEO, EDCO Disposal Corp; Jay Bass, former school board member, Ron Hall, Santee City Council member, Jan Davis, who's served on every board in town; and many others.

Lemon Grove is a classic American small town that hangs on to its own despite the sweeping changes mandated by state and federal agencies, and the vagaries of social change. Welcome home and Merry Christmas!

Greg Jackson, City Communications Manager, took all of the photographs for the tribute. He’s why we all look a whole lot better.