Modesto City Council watch

• Listened to resident Miguel Donoso criticize Mayor Ted Brandvold’s 100-day budget review committee for not having Latino members, even though Latinos make up a significant percentage of the city’s residents. The 14-member committee had one Latino member, CPA Ralph Juarez, but he did not attend the meetings so the committee’s work was done by the 13 other members. Brandvold has said he picked committee members with experience with large, complex organizations and finance because he needed a committee that could quickly dive into the city’s budget. He also has said the committee meetings were open to the public.
• Heard from activist John Mataka about his concerns that police officers had taken photographs of a June 28 demonstration in front of the downtown courthouse and District Attorney’s Office. They called for the resignation of Judge Ricardo Córdova and District Attorney Birgit Fladager because of a plea deal that resulted in no jail time for former sheriff’s detective Kari Abbey, who once was accused in a fatal shooting. Mataka said demonstrators had heard reports that officers had photographed them. He added that one officer stopped a demonstrator after the protest and tore up his “Modesto Copwatch” card, which lists a person’s rights when stopped by the police. The demonstrators had been handing the cards out. Mataka said the demonstrator was too intimidated to go public. Police Chief Galen Carroll will look into the allegations.
• Accepted a consultant’s report about establishing a quiet zone along the Union Pacific Railroad right of way through downtown. Quiet zones require upgrading the safety features at railroad crossings to eliminate the need for a train to sound its horn as it approaches. But a train still could sound its horn as needed, such as during an emergency. The report says it would cost $2.5 million to $2.7 million to $3.9 million to establish a quiet zone, depending upon which option the city pursues. The city will need to find a funding source for the project.

This story was originally published July 8, 2016 at 2:34 PM with the headline "Modesto City Council watch."