СПТУ OF CREE
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MINUTES
CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING
CITY OF CERES, CALIFORNIA
(via ZOOM and in-person)
City Council Chambers, 2701 Fourth Street
Monday, April 14, 2025, at 6:00 p.m.
Mailing Address: Ceres City Hall, 2220 Magnolia Street, Ceres, CA 95307-3292 Phone: (209) 538-5700 Fax: (209) 538-5780
CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Lopez called the April 14, 2025, meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.
ROLL CALL - Present:
Mayor: Javier Lopez
Vice Mayor: Daniel A. Martinez (District 4)
Councilmembers: James Casey (District 1); Rosalinda L. Vierra (District 2); Cerina Otero (District 3)
District 1 District 2 District 3 District 4
Councilmember Councilmember Councilmember Vice Mayor Mayor Lopez Casey Vierra Otero Martinez
Present Present Present Present Present
INVOCATION
Invocation by Patrick Davis, Ceres Christian Church.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Pledge of Allegiance was led by Mayor Lopez.
PRESENTATIONS
A. Love Ceres Proclamation
Brandy Meyer accepted the proclamation.
B. Arbor Day Proclamation
Ceres Garden Club Treasurer, Barbara Hawkins, accepted the proclamation.
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Regular City Council Meeting
April 14, 2025
C. Dispatcher Appreciation Week Proclamation
Ceres Police Department's dispatch staff accepted the proclamation.
CITIZEN COMMUNICATIONS to the Council on matters not included on the agenda (five minutes)
Lisa Montarro-Moore spoke regarding updates on Representative Adam Gray's office.
Nassan Sanchez spoke regarding a turkey drive for local fieldworkers, low rider event, and thanked all who volunteered and attended the turkey drive.
Dave Pratt thanked City staff for working on Neel Park.
Gene Yeakley spoke regarding grant money for traffic control.
Sunny Ghai spoke regarding donating to the next turkey drive.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST DECLARATION
Councilmember Otero declared a conflict of interest on item 10 and recused herself from voting.
APPOINTMENTS TO BOARDS/COMMISSIONS
None
CONSENT CALENDAR
Clerks Report of Posting. The agenda of the April 14, 2025, City Council Meeting was Posted on Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (City Clerk)
Waive Readings. All Readings of Ordinances and Resolutions are Waived. (Waive readings in full of all ordinances and resolutions on the agenda and declare that said titles which appear on the public agenda shall be determined to have been read by title). (City Clerk)
Approval of Minutes for the March 24, 2025, Regular City Council Meeting. (City Clerk)
Register of Audited Demands) Dated March 5, 2025, through March 26, 2025. (Esenwein)
5. Resolution No. 2025-028, Approving a Professional Services Agreement with Blackwater Consulting Engineers for the 2025 Urban Water Management Plan Update and Authorizing the City Manager to Execute the Agreement. (Royal)
MINUTES
6. Waiver of Second Reading and Adoption of Ordinance No. 2025-1087, An Ordinance of the City Council of the City of Ceres, Adding Chapter 43 Regional Housing Needs Assessment Overlay District (RHNAOD) to Title 18 of the Ceres Municipal Code. (Simvoulakis)
7. Resolution No. 2025-029, Approving a Construction Contract with West Painting for Repainting the Blaker Water Reservoir Tanks and Authorizing the City Manager to Execute the Contract. (Royal)
8. Removed for separate consideration.
9. Removed for separate consideration.
Action: Motion by Vice Mayor Martinez, seconded by Councilmember Vierra, approving items 1 - 7. Motion carried 5/0/0/0 by the following roll call vote:
Councilmember Councilmember Councilmember Vice Mayor
Martinez Mayor Lopez
Casey Vierra Otero
Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
CONSIDERATION OF ITEMS) REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT CALENDAR Item 8: Removed for separate consideration by Ceres Resident, Shirley Rogers Resolution No. 2025-030, Approving to Sponsor the Annual Ceres Street Faire and Authorizing Staff to Move Forward with the Expenditure. (City Manager) Shirley Rogers spoke regarding the City's current financial status and leftover Ceres Street Faire funds.
Mayor Lopez asked for public comment. The following members of the public spoke:
Lisa Montarro-Moore spoke regarding Ceres Street Faire expenses and the history of the Ceres Street Faire.
Mayor Lopez closed public comment.
Council and staff discussion included the Ceres Street Faire's efforts and supporting youth programs and organizations.
Action: Motion by Vice Mayor Martinez, seconded by Councilmember Vierra, approving item 8. Motion carried 5/0/0/0 by the following roll call vote:
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Regular City Council Meeting
April 14, 2025
Councilmember Councilmember Councilmember Vice Mayor Mayor Lopez Casey Vierra Otero Martinez
Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Item 9: Removed for separate consideration by Councilmember Vierra Resolution No. 2025-031, Accepting the Urban and Community Forestry Grant Program from the California Department of Foresty and Fire Protection. (Chavez) Councilmember Vierra spoke regarding | arborist costs, cost recovery, and purchasing trees locally.
Mayor Lopez asked for public comment. The following members of the public spoke:
Gene Yeakley spoke regarding maintenance of the newly planted trees and residential street tree responsibility.
John Warren spoke regarding street tree pruning and the ability to maintain the trees.
Mayor Lopez closed public comment.
Council and staff discussion included arborists, purchasing trees locally, West Coast Arborist contract, and staffing.
Action: Motion by Vice Mayor Martinez, seconded by Councilmember Vierra, approving item 9. Motion carried 4/1/0/0 by the following roll call vote:
Councilmember Councilmember Councilmember Vice Mayor
Mayor Lopez
Casey Vierra Otero Martinez
No Yes Yes Yes Yes
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
None
PUBLIC HEARING
10. Resolution No. 2025-XXX, Denying the Appeal of Planning Commission's Approval of Conditional Use Permit Application Number 24-09 (CUP) for a Maverik Fueling Station, Located at the Southeast Corner of Mitchell Road and Rode Road in Ceres, CA (APN: 041-018-007). (Simvoulakis)
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Regular City Council Meeting
April 14, 2025
Mayor Lopez announced the public hearing will be continued to an undetermined date.
Mayor Lopez opened the public hearing for public comment. The following members of the public spoke:
Diane Kindermann spoke regarding CEQA findings and the traffic study.
Joe Samra spoke regarding Gateway Car Wash, traffic mitigation, overpass construction, small businesses, and shopping local.
William Rossi spoke regarding the location and traffic impacts.
Mayor Lopez closed the public hearing.
NEW BUSINESS
None
DISCUSSION ITEMS
11. City Council to Provide Direction on Advertising for Public Hearings. (City Clerk) City Clerk, Fallon Martin, introduced the item.
Mayor Lopez asked for public comment. The following members of the public spoke:
John Warren spoke regarding additional timing on notifying residents of public hearings and using social media sites to advertise.
Brandy Meyer spoke regarding the Ceres Chamber of Commerce's notification efforts and thanked the City Clerk for reaching out to her regarding the Love Ceres Proclamation.
Gene Yeakley spoke regarding making a note on the utility bills.
Mayor Lopez closed public comment.
Council and staff discussion included cost of utility bill inserts, advertising in areas that do not cost money, subscribing on the City's website for emails and text message updates, making a note on utility bills, educating the public on Notify Me, multiple City departments social media platforms as opposed to one that covers all departments, providing notices to tenants and not only property owners, Ceres Street Faire booth, budgeting the cost, Chamber of Commerce email blast, pilot program, process with other cities, and noticing requirements for the Community
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Regular City Council Meeting
April 14, 2025
Development Department.
Consensus by council for staff to further research the following notification avenues and bring back an item for a future council meeting for council action: text messaging using Notify Me, notation on utility bills, social media platforms, City website, and the Chamber of Commerce e-blast. (5/0)
12. City Council to Provide Direction on Joining Sister City International. (City Manager)
City Manager, Doug Dunford, introduced the item.
Mayor Lopez asked for public comment. The following members of the public spoke:
Gene Yeakley asked about the process of finding a sister city.
Mayor Lopez closed public comment.
Council and staff discussion included travelling expenses, the role of the Sister City committee, community buy-in, size of the committee, who the committee is made up of, cost, grant funding, public input, and committee representatives.
Consensus by council for staff to bring back an item to create a Sister City International committee. (3/2 → No = Casey & Vierra)
COUNCILMEMBER REFERRALS
13. Public Safety Forums
(Requested by Councilmember Otero)
Councilmember Otero introduced the item.
Mayor Lopez asked for public comment. No one spoke. Mayor Lopez closed public comment.
Council and staff discussion included partnering with Ceres Unified School District, frequency of the forums, forum topics, and police department statistics.
Consensus by council for staff to bring back an item to implement public safety forums. (5/0)
City Manager Monthly Updates on City Website
(Requested by Councilmember Otero)
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Regular City Council Meeting
April 14, 2025
REPORTS
• Mayor
Nothing to report.
• City Council
Councilmember Casey spoke regarding weed abatement and the City Treasurer.
Councilmember Vierra spoke regarding Stanislaus Homeless Alliance, Stanislaus County CAREs program, Stanislaus Urban County Housing Consortium Plan, Consolidated Plan, Annual Action Plan, traffic mitigation, and Scholarship Night with the Stanislaus Latino Chamber of Commerce
Councilmember Otero spoke regarding Public Works and Central Valley Christian Academy for their work at Ochoa Park, congratulated Officer Gallenkamp and Kg Fiona for their success at the 2025 Stanislaus County Sheriffs Department K9 Trials, and the low rider cruise.
• City Manager
Nothing to report.
• City Attorney
Nothing to report.
• Departments
Recreation Manager, Joey Chavez, spoke regarding the Recreation Office's Easter event.
CLOSED SESSION
14. Conference with Legal Counsel - Anticipated Litigation, Cal. Gov't Code §54956.9(d)(2)
a significant exposure to litigation against the local agency." Potential Case: 1 case
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Regular City Council Meeting
April 14, 2025
REPORT FROM CLOSED SESSION
Item 14:
Mayor Lopez stated there was nothing to report out.
ADJOURNMENT
The next scheduled City Council Meeting will be held on April 28, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. in the City Council Chambers located in the Community Center at 2701 Fourth Street, Ceres, CA.
There being no further business, Mayor Lopez adjourned the meeting at 8:48 p.m. tallon nasti
Fallon Martin, City Clerk
Consistent with Council Policy, the minutes referenced above are in Action Format. The complete recording of the meeting can be viewed at http://www.ci.ceres.ca.us/agenda center.