APPLICATION FOR PARKS, RECREATION AREAS
AND FACILITIES AND REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY
FACILITY NAMING
As a policy, parks, recreation areas, and facilities and Redevelopment Agency for an individual (s) under the following conditions:
1. " Where the individual has made a significant gift of land to the City of Merced and/or the Redevelopment Agency, or
2. In memoriam for an individual who has made a significant contribution to the City of Merced/Redevelopment Agency. creational facilities or resource management areas within a park may be name r a corporation or an individual. living or deceased. v
1. Matural or soritar rebre to the ily or tered atural,
2. Has made substantial contributions to the advancement of commensurate types of recreational opportunities within the City of Merced, or
3. Has made significant contributions to the betterment of a specific park, consistent with the established criteria and standards for the designated facility.
In support of this policy, nominations for naming parks, recreational areas, and facilities and Redevelopment Agency facilities, shall be evaluated on the basis of the above criteria and upon appropriate documentation.
Regina A. Cortez
Person making nomination:(required)
Address:(required)
CA
Contact Phone Number:(required)
E-mail: (mot required)
Suggested Name:(required) Joe Cortez
South Station
MERCED POLICE
Biographical Information: (Explain)
JOSEPH (JOE) CORTEZ, HE 3ER DE 6, BORN iN 1941 ON
MERCEDS SOUTH SiDE. MEMBER DE SACREOHEART
CATHOLIC CURET FOR 77URS, THE SAME CHIELM HE WAS BAPTIZED.
HE WORKED FOR THE CitY DE MERCEDS TOLICE DEFARTMENT
RETIRING AS COMMANDERAFIER 32+ YEARS DE PUBLIC
SERViCE.
Civic Involvement: (Explain)
QVER SO YEARS OFEING PARTIKIPATTON AND COMMUNitY SERiCE, WHicHtiNCLUDES Z CONSELUTIVE TERMS ON THE MERCED COUNCIL.
AND OTHER VARIONS CITY COMMITTES, JOE WAS ALEDA MEMBERIT THE AMERICAN LEGIOAL VEW HONOR/COLOR GUARD. ALSO YANTH ENRICHMENT
PROGRAMS SUCH AS THE DO SANDERS CLUE, KRMANIS, MERCED
YOUTH FOOTFALL ANDMANY OTHERARENS OF PUBLIC SERVICE AND VOLUNTEER WORK.
Connection to Facility: (Please explain in depth)
TOE WAS INSTRUMENTAL iN THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT
DE 2 POLICE SUBSTATIONS. INFLUPINS MERCERS SouTH
STATION, WIERE HE WOULD LEAD UNTiL HIS RETIREMENT
HE WAS PARMEULARI ZROUD THAT HS MORERATHE
CEBEMONIAL RIBBON DURING DEDIENTION.
Reason for Nomination: (Required)
WE WOULD BEHONORED FOR OUR DAD TOE, TO BE
RECOGNIZED FOR HISHARD WORK AND DEDICATION AS A
POLCE OFFICER OF HISPANTE HEPHAsE WHA 32+ VEALS
LE SERVICE FOR TELEY WE MERCED.
HE ENDEDHIS CARTERAS A COMMANDER OF MERCEDE
SOUTH STATION. QUe DAD LEST A MEANINGENL iMPRET
FORALL THAT KNEW HM.
6 Additional Comments: (required)
QUR DAD WAS A FAIR, KIND, HUMBLE MAN OF
EXCEPTIONAL GHARATER WHO CHAMPIONED FOR
THE City OFMERGED. THEPRiDE HE FELT FOR HIS
DEPARTMENT AND COMMUNHY WAS UNWAVERING.
THANKYOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION, THE CORTER FAMiLY
Date received By City stafe: 6/4/24
Reviewed by: Christopher Jensen
Approved by: (Department Head) Chast dese
Submit to City Council for Direction:
Date scheduled for review by Selection Committee: 7/22/24 Date person submitting nomination notified: d/4/zy
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
MAY BE ATTACHED
% ADDitIONAL PAGES ATTACHED
LABELED A THROUGH F
Plus 2 PHOTOs
7 EVALUATION SHEET
South Area Merced Police
Name of City Facility:
Suggested Name: Joe Carter Sout (lieces) Statin
City Department/Selection Committee:
Date of Review:
1. Rate significant gift of land to the City (V)
Significant Moderate Minor
No Gift
2. Rate significant contribution to the City (Y)
Significant Moderate Minor No Contribution
3. Rate significant contribution to protect natural cultural, or horticultural resources of the City of Merced (V)
Significant Moderate Minor
No Contribution
(
1. Rate substantial contribution to the advancement of appropriate types of recreational opportunities within the City of Merced (V) Significant Moderate Minor
No Contribution
5. Rate significant contribution to the betterment of a specific park or City facility consistent with the established criteria and standards for the designated facility classification (v)
Significant Moderate Minor
No Contribution
In support of this policy, nominations for naming City and Redevelopment Facilities or resource management areas shall be evaluated on the basis of the above criteria and upon appropriate documentation.
8 Joseph "Kokomo" Cortez
September 28, 1941 ~ April 5, 2019 (age 77)
"Say nothing in grief, 'that he is no more', but in thankfulness that he was" Joe was the third of six children born to Aniceto & Josephine (Mendoza) Cortez, in Merced, California. He attended local schools and some college before joining the Army where he was stationed in Germany. After leaving the military. he embarked on a career with the Merced Police Department that would span thirty-two years. He started as a patrolman, working his way up to Detective, Sergeant and then was appointed Commander. He was also a S.W.A.T. team Commander/Negotiator and a graduate from the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia. After he retired from the Police Department. he was elected as a Merced City Councilman and served two consecutive terms.
Joe was also very active with the American Legion and the VFW, serving as a past Post Commander. He was also in many other clubs and organizations through the years such as Club Mercedes, the Boys and Girls Club and Kiwanis. He was an active participant with the Honor Guard, and also spent many hours hand making and painting crosses to be placed at local cemeteries for Memorial Day honors and acted as Master of Ceremonies at the yearly event. Joe has also been a familiar face in the community working at Ivers and Alcorn Funeral Home for the past twenty years. He enjoyed coffee with the boys at Country Waffles and Paul's Place and hanging out with Joe V. at local football games and the Legion. He also had fond memories of the many unforgettable family trips he took to Pismo. Joe loved his family unconditionally. He also loved his community and was proud to call Merced his home. He regularly attended Sacred Heart Church, the same church in which he was baptized.
He is preceded in passing by his parents, brother's Cheto. Jesse and Henry, and his son Steven.
He is survived by Carol, his wife of 52 years, daughters Regina and Sonja. daughter-in-law Tammy, grandchildren Laina, Amanda and Guy. great grandson Zam, sister Maria and brother Joaquin (Sally), sister-in-laws Mary Lou and Clem. his four god children, and numerous nephews and nieces.
Joe was a humble. honorable and selfless man. and we will miss him dearly.
A visitation will be held on Sunday: April 14, 2019, from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Our Lady of Mercy Church in Merced. A Rosary will be held at 9:30 a.m. on Monday. April 15, 2019, followed by a Funeral Mass at 10:00 a.m. at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Merced with burial to follow at Calvary Cemetery in Merced. The family asks if you can please refrain from wearing any fragrances due to his daughter's allergies. Services under the direction of Ivers and Acorn Funeral Home.
1941-2019
Community leader, police standout Joe Cortez laid to rest BY JONSTHAN WHITAKER His smile would work with residents to solve prob- was conta-
There was a heart-wrenching, lems, but on the other side, he was gious, and he tough as nails," recalled former Police
amber and unavoidable realization in will be missed Chief Tony Dossetti. "Joe was always le air this week as the Honor Guard by many Mer- looking out for everyone, and he was ed three volleys from their rifles, and cedians of di- respected for that, and so we also le bugler played Taps. verse ages and looked out for Joe. We were a pretty Joseph "Joe" Cortez - Army vet- backgrounds. close-knit family:" an, retired police commander, former Dossetti and Cortez both served as ity Council member, and Honor Guard the big, strong.
police commanders under Chief Pat
Hunteer - is no longer with us. nice guy who Lunney. The two career lawmen also Cortez passed away more than a kept service to country dear to his heart helped open two substations in town as eek ago as he continued lo serve while helping to improve his hometown the department grew in the mid-1990s
e Merced community through the that is both challenged and blessed by — with Cortez heading up the one in mencan Legion and the Veterans of growth and great cultural diversity. South Merced. Joe Cortez' casket is carried past officers of the Merced "Joe had great compassion, and he Police Department. including Chief Chrs Goodwin. at See Cortez, Page 3 right, after a funeral Mass at St. Patrick's Church. • Cortez
ontinued from front page
the two wotd later serve,
gether on the Merced City
ouncil. Cortez enjoyed
road community support
nd remained on the council
or two consecutive terms.
ater, he reportedly was Joe Cortez speaks during a Memo- sked by a variety of influen- rial Day ceremony at Calvary Ceme- al Mercedians to run for tery in Merced.
layor, but he declined, opt- Vasquez told the Times it
ig to concentrate on family, Joe Cortez with his American Legion buddies. will never be the same "with-
iendships and local veteran out Joe." to Detective, Sergeant and and Paul's Place and hang- hairs. An employee at Ivers and then was appointed Com- ing out with Joe V. at local He the type of commu- Acorn Funeral Home told mander. He was also a Tootball games and the Le- ty member that we should the Times he was stunned S.W.A.T. team Com- gion. He also had fond on Monday, April 15, fol- in Merced with burial at Cal- Il try to be," said Hub when he heard about mander/Negotiator and a memories of the many un- lowed by a Funeral Mass at vary Cemetery in Merced. /alsh, who also served on Cortez passing. graduate from the FBI Acad- forgettable family trips he St. Patrick's Catholic Church le council with Cortez. "He "Our Joe?" he reacted to emy in Quantico, Virginia. took to Pismo. Joe loved his so had a tremendous After he retired from the
tamily unconditionally. He
ense of humor. It was sort Cortez had served on the Police Department, he was also loved his community I self deprecating humor VFW and American Legion elected as a Merced City and was proud to call at put people at ease. And Honor Guards for hundreds Councilman and served two Merced his home. He regu- Elegant a was a great storyteller." and hundreds of funeral and consecutive terms. larly attended Sacred Heart Walsh noted that it was bunal proceedings, and also Cortez was also very ac- Church, the same church in RESTAURANT ways Cortez who would worked part-time over the tive with the American Le- which he was baptized.
mind local leaders and the years for ivers and Acom. gion and the VFW, serving He is preceded in passing redia about events for vet- Monday night, as a past Post Commander. Voted Best by his parents, brother's
ans, including for Memo- Merced Mayor Mike Murphy He was also in many other Cheto, Jesse and Henry, Steak & Lobster
adjourned the City Council clubs and organizations and his son Steven. He is The big Memorial Day meeting in honor of Joe through the years such as survived by Carol, his wife of LUNCH servance in Merced is Club Mercedes, the Boys 52 years, daughters Regina eld at the District Cemetery. and Girls Club and Kiwanis. and Sonja, daughter-in-law WED. - THURS. - FRI. owever, it was Cortez — He was an active participant grandchildren 10:45 AM - 1:45 PM ad the other "Joe" (local Joesph Cortez was the with the Honor Guard, and Laina, Amanda and Guy, eteran Joe Vasquez) - third of six children bom to also spent many hours and great grandson Zam, sister Fresh Fish: Halibut, Fish & Chips ho realized some years Anticeto & Josephine (Men- making and painting crosses Maria and brother Joaquin 4 Steak Varieties.
Jo that there should be an- doza) Cortez, in Merced. to be placed at local ceme- (Sally), sister-in-laws Mary her Honor Guard cere- He attended local schools teries for Memorial Day hon- 10 Burgers From 9 - 14 Lou and Clem, his four god
ony at Calvary Cemetery and some college before ors and acted as Master of Favorites: Stroganoff, Chicken here many veterans are joining the Army where he Ceremonies at the yearly nephews and nieces. Marsala, Pork Chops, Lamb Stew. uried. So they started an was stationed in Germany. event. Cortez has also been Joe was a humble, hon- arly-moming observance After leaving the military, he a familiar face in the com- orable and selfless man, and Babyback Ribs, Meatloat, 1 Memorial Day that con- embarked on a career with munity working at Ivers and we will miss him dearly. Calamari, Torresmos: Octopus, lues to present. the Merced Police Depart- Alcom Funeral Home for the A visitation was already Bifanas & Deep Fried Shrimp
And it's no surprise that ment that would span 32 past 20 years. held on Sunday, April 14, at ortez was buried at Cal- Sandwiches: Linguicia, Prego.
years. He started as a pa- He enjoyed coffee with Our Lady of Mercy Church in ary on Monday. trolman, working his way up the boys at Country Waffles Merced. A Rosary was held Steak, Chicken All Salinbac Sarnet with limonb bri
O TH
Joe Cortez
South Station
lerced Police