MINUTES
CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING
CITY OF CERES, CALIFORNIA
(via ZOOM and in-person)
City Council Chambers, 2701 Fourth Street
Monday, October 13, 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 October 13, 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 Absent Present
INVOCATION
Invocation by Patrick Davis, Ceres Christian Church.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Pledge of Allegiance led by Santiago Alejandro Macias Valadez, Caswell Elementary School.
PRESENTATIONS
A. National Respiratory Care Week Proclamation
B. National 4-H Week Proclamation
Stanislaus County 4-H Ag Ambassadors accepted the proclamation.
MINUTES
Regular City Council Meeting
October 13, 2025
C. Pacific Gas & Electric Presentation
Senior Government Relations Representative, Nathan Alonzo, gave the presentation.
D. Modesto Fire Department Presentation
Assistant Fire Chief, Andrew Hunter, gave the presentation.
CITIZEN COMMUNICATIONS to the Council on matters not included on the agenda (five minutes)
Brandy Meyer spoke regarding worktorce development, working with small and underserved businesses, multi-chamber mixers, and Coffee and Conversations.
Milt Trieweiler spoke regarding conserving water resources, farmland, and building up - not out.
Dave Pratt spoke regarding the suicide prevention hotline.
John Warren spoke regarding status of the grant to improve the American Legion Hall.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST DECLARATION
None
APPOINTMENTS TO BOARDS/COMMISSIONS
None
CONSENT CALENDAR
Clerks Report of Posting. The agenda of the October 13, 2025, City Council Meeting was Posted on Wednesday, October 8, 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 September 8, 2025, Regular City Council Meeting. (City Clerk)
4. Approval of Minutes for the September 22, 2025, Regular City Council Meeting. (City Clerk)
MINUTES
Regular City Council Meeting
October 13, 2025
Removed for separate consideration.
6. Resolution 2025-122, Accepting California Office of Emergency Services 911 Award Money for the Purpose of Upgrading the Current Ceres Police Department 911 Dispatch Center. (Johnson)
Removed for separate consideration.
8. Resolution No. 2025-123, Approving the General Services Agreement for the the Amount of $99,210.00,
(Totaling $109,210.00), and Authorizing the City Manager to Execute the Agreement. (Beltran)
9. Removed for separate consideration.
10. Waiver of Second Reading and Adoption of Ordinance No. 2025-1093, An Ordinance of the City Council of the City Council of the City of Ceres Amending Title 13- Water and Sewer, Chapter 3 - Rates and Charges, Section 030 - Water Connection Fee, of the Ceres Municipal Code. (Beltran)
11. General Correspondence - Information Only
a. Public Works Monthly Report for August 2025 (Casas)
12. Removed for separate consideration.
13. Resolution No. 2025-XXX, Approving a Retroactive Agreement with the Lew Edwards Group to Provide Planning, Communication and Engagement Services for Quality-of-Life Vision, Approving a Budget Amendment in the Amount of $115,500, and Authorizing the City Manager to Execute the Agreement. (City Manager) *This item was pulled by staff and not considered by the Ceres City Council.
Action: Motion by Councilmember Otero, seconded by
Councilmember Vierra, approving items 1 - 4, 6, 8, 10 - 11.
Motion carried 4/0/1/0 by the following roll call vote:
Councilmember Councilmember Councilmember Vice Mayor
Casey Vierra Otero Martinez Mayor Lopez
Yes Yes Yes Absent Yes
CONSIDERATION OF ITEMS) REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT CALENDAR Item 5: Removed for separate consideration by Councilmember Otero Register of Audited Demand(s) Dated September 10, 2025, through September 24, 2025. (Esenwein)
MINUTES
Regular City Council Meeting
October 13, 2025
Councilmember Otero spoke regarding staff providing additional information on invoices related to travel, payment for dispatch services, dates of the first quarter of animal services payment, and Warden's payment for the Finance Department remodel.
Mayor Lopez asked for public comment. No one spoke. Mayor Lopez closed public comment.
Action: Motion by Councilmember Otero, seconded by
conto by the oloving a calloting tem 5. Motion carried
Councilmember Councilmember Councilmember Vice Mayor
Vierra Martinez Mayor Lopez
Casey Otero
Yes Yes Yes Absent Yes
Item 7: Removed for separate consideration by Councilmember Casey Consideration to Cancel the Regularly Scheduled City Council Meeting of December 22, 2025. (City Manager)
Councilmember Casey requested to consider a special meeting in November.
Mayor Lopez asked for public comment. No one spoke. Mayor Lopez closed public comment.
Council and staff discussion included Planning Commission meeting conflict and planning for council meetings.
Action: Motion Councilmember Vierra,
Mouncilmember turo, aproving item 7. Motion caried 3/1 1i0 by the following roll call vote:
Councilmember Councilmember Councilmember Vice Mayor
Martinez Mayor Lopez
Casey Vierra Otero
No Yes Yes Absent Yes
Item 9: Removed for separate consideration by Councilmember Vierra Waiver of Second Reading and Adoption of Ordinance No. 2025-1092, An Ordinance of the City Council of the City of Ceres Amending Title 15, Building and Construction, Chapter 8, California Fire Code, of the Ceres Municipal Code to Adopt the 2025 California Fire Code. (Bickle)
Councilmember Vierra spoke regarding fees for excessive false alarms.
MINUTES
Regular City Council Meeting
October 13, 2025
Mayor Lopez asked for public comment. No one spoke. Mayor Lopez closed public comment.
Council and staff discussion included boilerplate information, follow-up with an informational item, and excessive fire alarm fees and billing.
Action: Motion by Councilmember Vierra, seconded by
Councilmember Otero, approving item 9. Motion carried 4/0/1/0 by the following roll call vote:
Councilmember Councilmember Councilmember Vice Mayor
Vierra Martinez Mayor Lopez
Casey Otero
Yes Yes Yes Absent Yes
Item 12: Removed for separate consideration by Councilmember Otero Resolution No. 2025-124, Approving an Agreement with Animal Damage Management, Inc. for Pest Control Services for an Annual Amount of $82,735.00 and Authorizing the City Manager to Execute the Agreement. (Casas) Councilmember Otero spoke regarding an address correction in the agreement.
Mayor Lopez asked for public comment. No one spoke. Mayor Lopez closed public comment.
Action: Motion by Councilmember Otero, seconded by
Councilmember Vierra, approving item 12. Motion carried 4/0/1/0 by the following roll call vote:
Councilmember Councilmember Councilmember Vice Mayor
Vierra Martinez Mayor Lopez
Casey Otero
Yes Yes Yes Absent Yes
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
None
PUBLIC HEARING
14. Resolution No. 2025-XXX, Establishing the Annual Assessment Levy for Fiscal Year 2025-2026 on the Businesses in the Downtown Area Defined in the Ceres Downtown Revitalization Area Board Annual Report for the Activities and Programs of the Ceres Downtown Area Board for Fiscal Year 2025-2026. (Aguirre) Redevelopment & Economic Development Manager, Julian Aguirre, introduced the item.
MINUTES
Regular City Council Meeting
October 13, 2025
Mayor Lopez opened the public hearing for public comment. The following members of the public spoke:
John Warren spoke regarding the cost of the landscape contract in comparison to the money collected from the businesses and collection of the levy being voluntary.
Mayor Lopez closed the public hearing.
Council and staff discussion included number of businesses paying, the number of businesses downtown, method of noticing for meetings and workshops, number of attendees at the meetings, reasons why businesses are not attending the meetings, improving communication, and establishing a board for the Ceres Downtown Revitalization Area.
Action: Motion by Councilmember Vierra, seconded by Mayor Lopez, approving item 14. Motion failed 2/2/1/0 by the following roll call Councilmember Councilmember Councilmember Vice Mayor
Vierra Otero Martinez Mayor Lopez
Casey
No Yes No Absent Yes
NEW BUSINESS
None
DISCUSSION ITEMS
15. Customer Watering Schedule Update Recommendation. (Casas) Public Works Director, Sam Royal, introduced the item.
Mayor Lopez asked for public comment. No one spoke. Mayor Lopez closed public comment.
Council and staff discussion included how the targets are determined, adding a third watering day during the summer months, water usage with the planting of new trees, metered landscape usage at City parks, commercial landscaping, and metered landscape usage on commercial properties.
COUNCILMEMBER REFERRALS
16. Staffing Levels & Recruitment Presentation
(Requested by Vice Mayor Martinez at the September 22, 2025, Regular City Council Meeting)
*This item was continued to the November 10, 2025, Regular City Council meeting.
MINUTES
Regular City Council Meeting
October 13, 2025
17. Landscape Services
(Requested by Councilmember Otero on September 25, 2025) Councilmember Otero introduced the referral.
Mayor Lopez asked for public comment. No one spoke. Mayor Lopez closed public comment.
Council and staff discussion included Morgan Road landscaping issues, exploring alternatives, cost differences between the bids.
Council provided consensus for staff to bring back an item reviewing landscape service contracts). (3/1/1/0 → No = Casey & Absent = Vice Mayor Martinez)
18. Public Information Officer Position
(Requested by Mayor Lopez on October 3, 2025)
Mayor Lopez introduced the referral.
Mayor Lopez asked for public comment. The following members of the public spoke:
John Warren spoke regarding the amount of work for this position, cost of such position, and utilizing existing staff to perform the tasks of a public information officer.
Mayor Lopez closed public comment.
Council and staff discussion included social media, evaluating a new position or contracting it out, funding, and staffing issues.
Council provided consensus for staff to bring back an item to explore creating a Public Information Officer position. (4/0/1/0 → Absent = Vice Mayor Martinez)
REFERRAL REQUESTS
Establishing a Ceres Downtown Revitalization Area Board (Requested by Councilmember Otero)
Reviewing the Ceres Business License Ordinance and Policy (Requested by Councilmember Vierra)
Food Vendor Audits by Code Enforcement and Quarterly Reports on Sales Tax Collected (Requested by Councilmember Casey)
MINUTES
Regular i one age
REPORTS
• Mayor
Nothing to report
• City Council
Councilmember Vierra spoke regarding Stanislaus Homeless Alliance, Salvation Department ride along. Haloen evenis, My of Cures Trunkritea, ick FinA mobile food truck, Crosstown Showdown parade, and driving during wet weather conditions.
Councilmember Otero spoke regarding Fire Ops 101 and landscape conversations with City staff
Councilmember Casey spoke regarding CUSD's 13th Annual Helping Students Today & Tomorrow and October being the month to respect life. • City Manager
Nothing to report.
• City Attorney
Nothing to report
Departments
Recreation Manager, Joey Chavez, spoke regarding Trunk-or-Treat, Crosstown Showdown parade, senior Halloween event, and senior harvest event.
CLOSED SESSION
19. Conference with Legal Counsel - Existing Litigation, Cal Gov't Code §54956.9 "For purposes of this section, litigation shall be considered pending when any of the following circumstances exist... Litigation, to which the local agency is a party, has been initiated formally." Name of Case: Rafid Khoshaba and Tow One Inc. vs. City of Ceres, Stanislaus County Superior Court Case Number: CV-24-005948
20. 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
MINUTES
Regular City Council Meeting
October 13, 2025
Mayor Lopez introduced Closed Session.
Mayor Lopez asked for public comment. No one spoke. Mayor Lopez closed public comment.
REPORT FROM CLOSED SESSION
Mayor Lopez reported that staff was provided direction.
ADJOURNMENT
The next scheduled City Council Meeting will be held on October 27, 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 8:49 p.m. m~
Javier Lopez, Mayor
talon wasti
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.