CTTT
*
MINUTES
CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING
CITY OF CERES, CALIFORNIA
(via ZOOM and in-person)
City Council Chambers, 2701 Fourth Street
Monday, June 9, 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 June 9, 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 Ken Sylvia, Youth for Christ.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Pledge of Allegiance was led by Mayor Lopez.
PRESENTATIONS
None
CITIZEN COMMUNICATIONS to the Council on matters not included on the agenda (five minutes)
Lisa Mantarro Moore spoke regarding updates on Congressman Adam Gray's office.
Milt Trieweiler spoke regarding conserving farmland and water resources, and building up, not out.
MINUTES
Regular City Council Meeting
June 9, 2025
Joe Lomeli spoke regarding roads, parks, and customer service with City staff.
John Warren requested follow-up on Lazy Wheels mobile home park.
City Clerk, Fallon Martin, read an email into the record from Alvaro Franco regarding canal safety.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST DECLARATION
None
APPOINTMENTS TO BOARDS/COMMISSIONS
None
CONSENT CALENDAR
Clerks Report of Posting. The agenda of the June 9, 2025, City Council Meeting was Posted on Wednesday, June 4, 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 April 28, 2025, Special City Council Meeting. (City Clerk)
Approval of Minutes for the May 27, 2025, Special City Council Meeting. (City Clerk)
5. Register of Audited Demands) Dated May 14, 2025, through May 21, 2025. (Esenwein)
Resolution No. 2025-042, Approving an Agreement with West Coast Arborists, Inc. for Tree Maintenance and Removal Services and Authorizing the City Manager to Execute the Agreement. (Royal)
Resolution No. 2025-043, Approving a Landscape and Maintenance Agreement with BrightView Landscape Services, Inc. for Smyrna Park, River Bluff Park, and City Right-of-Ways, and Authorizing the City Manager to Execute the Agreement. (Royal)
Resolution No. 2025-044, Approving a Three-Year Intergovernmental Cooperation Agreement with Stanislaus County for Participation in the Urban County Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program Consortium for Fiscal Years 2026- 2029 and Authorizing the City Manager to Execute the Agreement. (Aguirre)
MINUTES
Regular City Council Meeting
June 9, 2025
Resolution No. 2025-045, Approving a Three-Year Consortium Agreement with Stanislaus County for Participation in the HOME Investment Partnership Program Consortium for Fiscal Years 2026-2029 and Authorizing the City Manager to Execute the Agreement. (Aguirre)
10. Resolution No. 2025-046, Approving Amendment #6 to the Whitmore Mansion Foundation Agreement and Authorizing the City Manager to Execute the Agreement. (City Manager)
Action: Motion by Vice Mayor Martinez, seconded by Councilmember Vierra, approving items 1 - 10. Motion carried 5/0/0/0 by the following roll call vote:
Councilmember Councilmember Councilmember Vice Mayor Mayor Lopez Casey Vierra Otero Martinez
Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
CONSIDERATION OF ITEMS) REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT CALENDAR None
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
11. Council Direction and Follow-Up on Fiscal Year 2026 Proposed Budget. (Esenwein)
Finance Director, Shannon Esenwein, introduced the item.
Mayor Lopez asked for public comment. No one spoke. Mayor Lopez closed public comment.
Council and staff discussion included the contract with City of Newman for dispatch services, future presentation by Stanislaus Animal Services Agency (SASA), how major projects are funded, grants, council professional development and medical funds transfer to police training budget, how SASA bills the city for services, exploring in house animal services, and what happens to unused professional development funds.
Action: Motion by Councilmember Otero, seconded by
Councilmember Casey, approving to move professional
development funds and medical insurance funds from
electeds to help fund the Police Department's training and personnel. Motion failed 2/3/0/0 by the following roll call vote:
Councilmember Councilmember Councilmember Vice Mayor
Martinez Mayor Lopez
Casey Vierra Otero
Yes No Yes No No
MINUTES
Regular City Council Meeting
June 9, 2025
Action: Motion by Vice Mayor Martinez, seconded by Councilmember Vierra, approving to review the Stanislaus Animal Services Agency financial budget and reduce the cost to the City of Ceres. 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
PUBLIC HEARING
12. City of Ceres Workforce Vacancies, Recruitment and Retention Efforts. (Vasquez) Human Resources Director, Delilah Vasquez, introduced the item.
Mayor Lopez asked for public comment. No one spoke. Mayor Lopez closed public comment.
13. Resolution No. 2025-XXX, Approving the Update to the Public Facilities Fee Nexus Study for City's Impact Fee Program and Adopting the Public Facilities Impact Fee Schedules. (Beltran)
*This public hearing will be continued to the July 14, 2025, regular City Council meeting.
Mayor Lopez announced the public hearing will be continued to the July 14, 2025, City Council meeting.
Mayor Lopez opened the public hearing for public comment. No one spoke. Mayor Lopez closed the public hearing.
NEW BUSINESS
None
DISCUSSION ITEMS
None
COUNCILMEMBER REFERRALS
14. Post Public Records Request Responses on the City's Website for Public Viewing (Requested by Councilmember Casey at the March 24, 2025, Regular City Council Meeting)
Councilmember Casey introduced the item.
MINUTES
Regular City Council Meeting
June 9, 2025
Mayor Lopez asked for public comment. No one spoke. Mayor Lopez closed public comment.
Council and staff discussion included transparency, additional costs and time associated with publishing public records request responses on the City's website, current amount of time spent on public records requests, overtime costs, duplicate public records requests, public records requests related to the Police Department records, and additional City Attorney review.
Council did not reach a consensus on this referral (2/3 → No = Lopez, Martinez, & Vierra).
15. City Manager Monthly Updates on City Website
(Requested by Councilmember Otero at the April 14, 2025, Regular City Council Meeting)
Councilmember Otero introduced the item.
Mayor Lopez asked for public comment. No one spoke. Mayor Lopez closed public comment.
Council and staff discussion included City Council updates provided by the City Manager, place updates on the City's website as a front facing item, newsletter, receiving text messages when updates are uploaded, communication with the Ceres Courier, newsflashes and the calendar on the City's website, department updates, who would be posting the updates, mayor updates, and council meeting attendance.
Council did not reach a consensus on this referral (2/3 → No = Lopez, Martinez, & Vierra).
REFERRAL REQUESTS
4th of July Report
(Requested by Mayor Lopez)
Code Enforcement Report
(Requested by Mayor Lopez)
Lazy Wheels Mobile Home Park Update
(Requested by Mayor Lopez)
Digital Billboard Ordinance
(Requested by Vice Mayor Martinez)
Historic Downtown Signage
(Requested by Vice Mayor Martinez)
MINUTES
Regular City Council Meeting
June 9, 2025
Neel Park (Dog Park) Update
(Requested by Vice Mayor Martinez)
Quarterly GoGov Report
(Requested by Councilmember Otero)
REPORTS
• Mayor
Mayor Lopez thanked staff and attendees for Concerts in the Park, spoke of his attendance at the Central Valley High School groundbreaking of their new football stadium, and the ribbon cutting of the gazebo and Whitmore Park. • City Council
Vice Mayor Martinez spoke regarding the hot air balloon festival and wished everyone a happy Father's Day.
Councilmember Otero thanked City staff and residents in helping her with her first six months of being a councilmember.
Councilmember Vierra spoke regarding her attendance at a non-emergency response conference, San Francisco's para-medi response team, CalTrans and highway 99 exit closures, doorbell ditching, and parking for the hot air balloon festival. • City Manager
Nothing to report.
• City Attorney
Nothing to report.
• Departments
Redevelopment & Economic Development Manager, Julian Aguirre, spoke regarding the upcoming job fair.
Recreation Manager, Joey Chavez, spoke regarding Concert in the Park, Whitmore gazebo ribbon cutting, and the hot air balloon festival.
MINUTES
Regular City Council Meeting
June 9, 2025
CLOSED SESSION
16. Conference with Legal Counsel - Anticipated Litigation, Cal. Gov't Code §54956.9(d)(2)
"For the purposes of this section, litigation shall be considered pending when any of the following circumstances exist... A point has been reached where, in the opinion of the legislative body of the local agency on the advice of its legal counsel, based on existing facts and circumstances, there is a significant exposure to litigation against the local agency." Potential Case: 1 case
17. Conference with Labor Negotiators, Cal Gov't Code §54957.6(a) Votwithstanding any other provision of law, a legislative body of a local agency may hold close essions with the local agency's designated representatives regarding the salaries, salar schedules, or compensation paid in the form of fridge benefits of its represented and unrepresented employees, and, for represented employees, any other matter within the statutorily provided scope of representation."
Agency Designated Representative: City Manager, Douglas D. Dunford and Human Resources Director, Delilah Vasquez
Employee Organization: Ceres Police Officers' Association Employee Organization: First Line Supervisors/Confidential Bargaining Group Employee Organization: Laborers' International Union of North America (LiUNA!) Employee Organization: Mid-Managers Bargaining Group
Employee Organization: Public Safety Managers
18. Liability Claims, Cal. Gov. Code §54956.95
"For the purposes of [Section 54956.9], 'existing facts and circumstances' shall consist only of one of the following: The receipt of a claim pursuant to the Government Claims Act (Division 3.6 (commencing with Section 810) of Title 1 of the Government Code) or some other written communication from a potential plaintiff threatening litigation, which claim or communication shall be available for public inspection pursuant to Section 54957.5." Claimant: Marc Maghoney
Agency Claimed Against: City of Ceres
REPORT FROM CLOSED SESSION
Items 18 - 20:
Mayor Lopez stated there was nothing to report and directions were provided to
ADJOURNMENT
The next scheduled City Council Meeting will be held on June 23, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. in the City Council Chambers located in the Community Center at 2701 Fourth Street, Ceres, CA.
MINUTES
Regular City Council Meeting
June 9, 2025
There being no further business, Mayor Lopez adjourned the meeting at 8:25 p.m.
Javier Lopez, Mayor
tauon Lasti
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.