Couper Condit abruptly resigns from Ceres City Council 10 months into his first term
Ceres City Councilman Couper Condit resigned from his position Monday, two months shy of completing his first year.
During a council meeting Monday, Ceres Mayor Javier Lopez announced Condit’s departure, following the councilman’s emailed resignation earlier that day. The resignation took effect immediately.
The email was sent to Acting City Manager Alex Terrazas, who said he had no idea why Condit resigned, The Ceres Courier reported.
Condit did not respond to requests for comment Tuesday and Wednesday from The Modesto Bee.
The council is likely to decide at the next meeting, Oct. 25, who will fill the position, Lopez said.
Although Condit’s time as council member and vice mayor was brief, Lopez said in a news release that through Condit’s hard work, much was accomplished during that short period of time. “I would like to wish him the best in his future endeavors,” he said.
The mayor added that he will represent District 4 until the position is filled and that city business will continue.
The council has 60 days after the “commencement of the vacancy” to fill the position via appointment or call a special election, according to California law. The person appointed or elected to fill the position will hold office until November 2024, around the time Condit would have completed his tenure.
Down one council member again, Ceres is in the same predicament as it was in January of having to fill a vacant position. Like Condit, three other council members — James Casey, Lopez and Bret Silveira — are freshman office holders.
But it’s far from the first time the region has heard the Condit name.
Early this year, the city sought applicants to represent District 1, formerly managed by Couper’s brother Channce Condit, who left after being elected to the Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors in November. Couper is also the grandson of Gary Condit, a former District 18 Congressman who previously served on the Ceres City Council, the Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors and in the state assembly.
After a three-month campaign against three other candidates, Couper Condit was elected to the City Council in November. At the time, he shared on the Ceres website that he was excited to serve the city that reared him.
“I look forward to the work ahead,” he said then.
Since 2016, Condit also has been district coordinator for Republican state Assemblyman Heath Flora.
This story was originally published October 14, 2021 at 5:00 AM.
