Modesto City Council Watch

Modesto City Council members on Tuesday voted 7-0 to:

• Proclaim the first Saturday in May as the Bette Belle Smith Day of Service. Smith, known to many as "Mrs. Modesto," died in November at age 88. She was a tireless volunteer for many organizations. "I just couldn't get over the energy that lady had," Mayor Jim Ridenour said. "It would seem every meeting I went to, she was there."

• Appoint retired Judge James Barakatt, Edith M. Awuah, Robert Farrace, Stephanie Kerr, Carmen Morad and Janelle Flint as administrative hearing officers for the city for 2010

• Approve an agreement between Modesto, Merced, Stockton and several other cities and counties to create a working group to plan high-speed rail service in the San Joaquin Valley cities

• Apply for state grants to renovate Mancini Park and improve the soccer field at John Thurman Field. The soccer field is the only lighted field in Modesto and gets heavy use all year. If the city wins the grant, it will install artificial turf and fencing at the field.

• Sign a $64,339 contract with O'Dell Engineering of Modesto to design improvements to storm water basins on Merle Avenue and Bear Cub Lane in Village I

The council also met in closed session with city employee unions.