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MINUTES
CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING
Budget Workshop
CITY OF CERES, CALIFORNIA
via ZOOM and in- person)
City Council Chambers, 2701 Fourth Street
Tuesday, April 21, 2026, at 5:30 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 21, 2026, meeting to order at 5:30 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
CITIZEN COMMUNICATIONS
None
NEW BUSINESS
1. Budget Workshop on Draft Fiscal Year ( FY) 2027 Proposed Budget ( Portillo) Finance Director, Vanessa Portillo, introduced the item.
Mayor Lopez asked for public comment. The following members of the public spoke.
John Warren spoke regarding meeting time, weekend meetings, and fund balance.
Sal Puga spoke regarding health insurance for elected officials and Ceres expanding.
MINUTES
Special City Council Meeting
Budget Workshop
April 21, 2026
Galen Guzman spoke regarding public input, budget workshops, previous budget workshops, police ride-a-long, moneyfor parks, recreation, and youth development, transparency, childcare services during council meetings, salary increases, staffing levels, forensic audit, Measure H, and Spanish translation.
Nelson Gomez spoke regarding the budget deficit, fire contract, service revenue, cannabis revenue, and fire contract flexibility.
Tony Madrigal spoke regarding sales tax, transient occupancy tax, fire contract savings, additional budget meetings, utility user tax, and sales tax ballot measure.
Mayor Lopez closed public comment.
Council and staff discussion included conducting budget workshops earlier in the year, staffing level presentation, City Attorney presence at budget workshops, lack of planning, returned ARPA funding and availability, past referral for a forensic audit, evaluating the council budget, past referral for transient occupancy tax committee, AirBnb and vacation rental tax, legal service reduction and fees, police department overtime cost, unfunded positions, services provided and cost savings at the Community Center, Public Works overtime cost, pausing non-critical projects, cost of consulting services compared to cost of hiring personnel, strategic plan update, community involvement, timing of revenue, contracting out the Information Technology Division, Information Technology Division cost, current frozen positions in the Police Department and impact on the General Fund, Community Development Director position, unfreezing police positions, technology in the City of Ceres, flex work schedules, number of shifts in the Police Department, funding of police cadets, academy, field training, planning consultant costs, grant writing consultant costs, quarterly budget reviews, sales tax collection for street vendors, collection process of various fees that are due to the City, public participation, on- call Public Works employees and how they are funded, number of Code Enforcement officers and how they are funded, how outsourcing the Information Technology Division relates to the Police Department, supervisor in Code Enforcement, sales tax report and top business sales tax generators, third party business license company, security company for parks, fire contract cost, general fund list of savings, rising cost of legal for current lawsuits, abandoned vehicle abatement funds, thanked public for attending, additional budget workshops, and city council meeting dates.
ADJOURNMENT
The next scheduled City Council Meeting will be held on April 27, 2026, 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 7: 22 p. m.
MINUTES
Special City Council Meeting
Budget Workshop
April 21, 2026
er Lopez, Mayor
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.