City Council Chamber
Merced Civic Center
2nd Floor
678 W. 18th Street
Merced, CA 95340
CITY OF MERCED
Minutes
City Council/Public Finance and
Economic Development
Authority/Parking Authority
6:00 PMTuesday, December 2, 2025
Special Meeting
A. CALL TO ORDER
Mayor SERRATTO called the Special Meeting to order at 6:10 PM.
A.1. Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag
B. ROLL CALL
Mayor Matthew Serratto, Mayor Pro Tempore Sarah Boyle, Council Member Darin Dupont, Council Member Michael Harris, Council Member Shane Smith, and Council Member Fue Xiong
Present: 6 -
Absent: 0
C. PUBLIC COMMENT
Felipe ROJAS-FLORES, Merced - spoke on the history of a District System and encouraged Council to appoint someone who lives in District
2. Isabel SANCHEZ, Merced - spoke on wanting the person appointed to live in the community and ask that they prioritize the needs of the south side.
Maria VARGAS, Merced - spoke on wanting the person appointed to live in the community and the issues in the district.
Ana CINTRON, Merced - spoke on wanting a representative that will represent south side Merced.
Maria CALDERON, Merced - spoke on wanting the person appointed to live in south Merced and the needs in south Merced.
Ashley MARIE SUAREZ, Merced - spoke on the importance of public input when considering the appointment.
D. ACTION ITEMS
December 2, 2025City Council/Public Finance and
Economic Development
Authority/Parking Authority
Minutes
D.1. SUBJECT: District Two Candidate Presentations/Q&A with City Council/Closing Remarks
REPORT IN BRIEF
Qualified District Two Candidates will present oral presentations regarding their application for appointment to the current District Two Council Seat Vacancy followed by a Q&A period with City Council members and then closing remarks by Candidates.
RECOMMENDATION
City Council - Adopt a motion appointing a qualified elector of the City of Merced to the District Two Council seat vacancy to serve until the first Tuesday following the next General Municipal Election and until a successor is elected and qualified.
Mayor SERRATTO gave an opening statement and discussed the process of the interview.
District 2 applicants answered a series of interview questions relating to the District 2 position, the needs of District 2, and what the Candidate's favorite thing about the district posed by Council.
District 2 applicants in attendance:
Jody GEORGE, Dina GONZALEZ, Gloria KEENE, Yang THAO, and Tommy TRAN.
Council took a recess at 7:07 PM and reconvened at 7:25 PM.
Council thanked the applicants for attending and answering questions and deliberated on their decision.
A motion was made by Council Member Harris, seconded by Council Member Dupont, to appoint Yang Thao as the District 2 representative. The motion carried by the following vote:
Aye: Mayor Serratto, Mayor Pro Tempore Boyle, Council Member Dupont, Council Member Harris, and Council Member Smith
5 -
No: Council Member Xiong1 -
Absent: 0
E. COUNCIL COMMENTS
There were no comments.
December 2, 2025City Council/Public Finance and
Economic Development
Authority/Parking Authority
Minutes
F. ADJOURNMENT
Clerk's Note: The Special Meeting adjourned at 7:48 PM.
A motion was made by Council Member Smith, seconded by Council Member Dupont, to adjourn the Special Meeting. The motion carried by the following vote:
Aye: Mayor Serratto, Mayor Pro Tempore Boyle, Council Member Dupont, Council Member Harris, Council Member Smith, and Council Member Xiong 6 -
No: 0
Absent: 0