Ceres to appoint council member after Condit resignation. Here’s how to apply
The Ceres City Council on Monday unanimously voted to fill the vacancy left by Couper Condit’s resignation through an appointment application process instead of another special election.
Applications to represent District 4, the city’s southeast area, are due by Nov. 3 and the council plans to interview all candidates in a special meeting Nov. 9.
To serve as a council member until the November 2022 election, applicants must be at least 18 years old and be registered to vote in District 4. The southeast district is roughly bordered by Whitmore Avenue and Fowler Road to the north and includes a section west of Highway 99 stretching as far Georgeann Place.
The council has until Dec. 10 — 60 days from Condit’s resignation — to fill the vacancy, or it must call a special election per California law. April 12 is the soonest the city could hold a special election, while the council could vote on an appointment after interviewing candidates in the Nov. 9 meeting. Only Council Member Jim Casey said he favored a special election to let residents decide, but he joined the unanimous vote.
“We could potentially be stuck with some important issues and wind up with a 2-2 (vote),” Council Member Linda Ryno said during the meeting. “It’s no guarantee, but that could happen again and we’ve already been down that road too many times.”
After Condit’s brother Channce Condit vacated his District 1 seat to serve on the Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors in January, the council deadlocked 2-2 and failed to appoint a candidate before the deadline. The four-member council cast split votes on several issues before and after, including Planning Commission appointments and the budget. Voters chose Casey in the Aug. 31 special election, so Ceres had a full council for one regular meeting before Couper Condit resigned Oct. 11.
Condit has not given a reason for resigning 10 months into his four-year term. The Bee obtained a copy of his resignation letter through a public records request, but the one-sentence-long notification included no explanation. Condit did not respond to requests for comment after resigning.
State government codes require any appointee filling the vacancy serve until the city’s next general election in November 2022, a staff report said. Whoever wins the election will serve the remainder of Condit’s term until November 2024.
An appointee filling the vacancy for about a year will help set city policy and make budget decisions. The appointee also may help hire Ceres’s next city manager because Alex Terrazas has filled the position on an interim basis since Tom Westbrook resigned in August. City Council members receive a monthly salary of $500.
Applications are due by noon Nov. 3 and available on the city website and at City Hall. Interviews are scheduled to occur at a special meeting Nov. 9 at 6 p.m. Questions can be directed to the City Clerk’s office at 209-538-5731 or cityclerk@ci.ceres.ca.us.
This story was originally published October 27, 2021 at 4:00 AM.
