MINUTES CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING CITY OF CERES, CALIFORNIA (via ZOOM and in-person) City Council Chambers, 2701 Fourth Street Monday, March 10, 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 March 10, 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 Councimember Councilmember Councilmember Vice Mayor Mayor Lopez Casey Vierra Otero Martinez Present Present Present Present Present INVOCATION Invocation by Jerry Swain, New Vision Christian Center. 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) Katherine Reeves spoke regarding carports in driveways. Milt Trieweiler spoke regarding housing and farmland in the Central Valley. MINUTES Regular City Council Meeting March 10, 2025 Page 2 John Warren spoke regarding notifications for meetings. CONFLICT OF INTEREST DECLARATION None APPOINTMENTS TO BOARDSICOMMISSIONS None CONSENT CALENDAR 1. Clerks Report of Posting. The agenda of the March 10, 2025 City Council Meeting was Posted on Wednesday, March 5, 2025. (City Clerk) 2. 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) 3. Approval of Minutes for the January 27, 2025, Regular City Council Meeting. (City Clerk) 4. Approval of Minutes for the February 10, 2025, Regular City Council Meeting. (City Clerk) 5. Removed for separate consideration. 6. General Correspondence - Information Only a. Public Works Monthly Report for January 2025. (Royal) 7. Removed for separate consideration. 8. Resolution No. 2025-018, Authorizing the City Manager to Accept a Donation of a Chrysler Van for Police Department Operations and Complete the Transfer of Ownership from the Stanislaus County Sheriff's Office to the City of Ceres. (Johnson) Action: Motion by Vice Mayor Martinez, seconded by Councilmember Vierra, approving items 1-4, 6, and 8. Motion carried 5/0/0/0 by the following roll call vote: Councilmember Councilmember Councilmember Vice Mayor Casey Vierra Otero Martinez Mayor Lopez Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes MINUTES Regular City Council Meeting March 10, 2025 Page 3 CONSIDERATION OF ITEM(S) REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT CALENDAR Item 5: Removed for separate consideration by Councilmember Vierra Register of Audited Demand(s) Dated January 15, 2025, through January 22, 2025. (Esenwein) Councilmember Vierra inquired about Union Pacific invoices. Mayor Lopez asked for public comment. No one spoke. Mayor Lopez closed public comment. Council and staff discussion included payment timing on Union Pacific invoices and Measure L budget. Action: Motion by Vice Mayor Martinez, seconded by Councilmember Vierra, approving item 5. Motion carried 5/0/0/0 by the following roll call vote: Councilmember Councilmember Councilmember Vice Mayor Casey Vierra Otero Martinez Mayor Lopez Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Item 7: Removed for separate consideration by Councilmember Casey Resolution No. 2025-XXX, Approving a Five-Year Agreement with NetFile, Inc. for Electronic Filing of Campaign Statements, Statements of Economic Interests (Form 700), and AB 1234 Ethics Training and Authorizing the City Manager to Execute the Agreement. (City Clerk) Councimember Casey spoke regarding the cost of the program, the City's financial audit, and financial status. Mayor Lopez asked for public comment. No one spoke. Mayor Lopez closed public comment. Council and staff discussion included funding for the agreement, what the program offers, length of the agreement and status of the City's financial audit. Action: Motion by Mayor Lopez, seconded by Councilmember Vierra, to table item 7. Motion carried 5/0/0/0 by the following roll call vote: Councilmember Councilmember Councilmember Vice Mayor Casey Vierra Otero Martinez Mayor Lopez Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes MINUTES Regular City Council Meeting March 10, 2025 Page 4 UNFINISHED BUSINESS None PUBLIC HEARING None NEW BUSINESS None DISCUSSION ITEMS None COUNCILMEMBER REFERRALS 9. Strategic Plan Update (Requested by Councilmember Otero at the January 13, 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 provided consensus for staff to bring back an item on a future agenda for plans to conduct a Strategic Plan Update to explore options to increase communications related to public hearings. (5/0) 10. Create a Committee to Review the Modesto Fire Contract (Requested by Councilmember Casey at the January 13, 2025, Regular City Council Meeting) Councilmember Casey introduced the item. Mayor Lopez asked for public comment. No one spoke. Mayor Lopez closed public comment. Council and staff discussion included the timeline of staff reviewing the contract, committee structure, public participation, special meeting or workshop and Measure H. Council provided consensus for staff to conduct a workshop on renewing the Modesto Fire contract. (4/1 * No = Martinez) MINUTES Regular City Council Meeting March 10, 2025 Page 5 11. Service Groups and Students to Lead Flag Salute Requested by Councimember Otero) Councilmember Otero introduced the item. Mayor Lopez asked for public comment. The following members of the public spoke: Gene Yeakley spoke in favor of getting children involved with conducting the flag salute. John Warren spoke regarding a parent accompanying a child and having them stay throughout the meeting. Shirley Rogers spoke regarding students in civics classes and/or clubs. Mayor closed public comment. Council and staff discussion included structure and logistics of the program, liability, and importance of involving the youth. - Council provided consensus for staff to bring back an item on a future agenda detailing the program for conducting the flag salute. (4/1 - No = Martinez) REPORTS Mayor Nothing to report. City Council Councimember Vierra spoke regarding the youth leadership high school speech and art contest and the Stanislaus Homeless Alliance. Councilmember Otero spoke regarding speeding on Eastgate Blvd. City Manager Nothing to report. City Attorney Nothing to report. Departments MINUTES Regular City Council Meeting March 10, 2025 Page 6 Community Development Director, Lea Simvoulakis, spoke regarding Stanislaus County Consolidated Plan Survey and the letter of performance on the Housing Element. CLOSED SESSION 12. 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 13. Conference with Labor Negotiators, Cal Gov't Code $54957.6(a) Agency Designated Representative: City Manager, Douglas D. Dunford and Human Resources Director, Delilah Vasquez Employee Organization: Ceres Police Officers' Association Employee Organization: First Line SupervsolyConfdental Bargaining Group Employee Organization: Laborers' International Union of North America (LIUNA!) Employee Organization: Mid-Managers Bargaining Group Employee Organization: Public Safety Managers Under Negotiations: Price andlor terms of payment Mayor Lopez introduced the Closed Session items. Mayor Lopez asked for public comment. No one spoke. Mayor Lopez closed public comment. REPORT FROM CLOSED SESSION Items 12 and 13: Mayor Lopez stated there was nothing to report out. ADJOURNMENT The next scheduled City Council Meeting will be held on March 24, 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 8:26 p.m. Javier Lopez, Mayor MINUTES Regular City Council Meeting March 10, 2025 Page 7 auom wae 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 dsmsaaane center.