‘I’m not gonna change my mind’: Deadlocked Ceres council again delays appointment
The Ceres City Council again failed to fill its vacant seat with a majority vote Monday, risking a costly special election as the appointment deadline looms.
Deadlocked over whether to appoint the candidate with the most government experience, the council has until March 4 to reach an agreement on a District 1 council member. Past the deadline, state law requires the council to call a special election, which the county estimates will cost between $33,000 and $45,000.
The council on Monday did not cast votes to appoint one of the four applicants, unlike the meeting last week where several attempts failed 2-2. Council Members Linda Ryno and Bret Silveira repeated their support for Laurie Smith, who has served on the Ceres Planning Commission for 14 years and worked for the city of Modesto for 25 years. Meanwhile, Mayor Javier Lopez and Council Member Couper Condit again indicated they are open to the other three applicants, who have not worked in government.
Both sides made several appeals over how to fill the vacancy caused by voters electing Channce Condit, Couper Condit’s brother, to the Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors. The 60-day time limit to appoint someone to represent District 1 until December 2022 began when he was sworn in on Jan. 4. Silveira implied they could avoid the special election if Lopez voted to appoint Smith, but Lopez interrupted him.
“If I were to do that, I would be going against what I believe in,” Lopez said. “So I think it’s best that (sic) will not be made today, so I will table the motion to move this to the next meeting.”
After interviewing candidates in the Feb. 2 meeting, Lopez said political experience is not required to serve on the council and moved to appoint Connie Vasquez, a child care provider. Lopez was a political newcomer when he beat longtime Council Member Bret Durossette in the 2020 mayoral race.
Siding with Lopez, Condit on Monday said he values life experience outside of government. Condit, 24, further suggested reopening the applications to allow more people to apply, but his motion failed without a second. He and Ryno also pushed each other to compromise, without apparent success.
“I am willing to work with you, but I also believe strongly that this council needs someone with an understanding of how government works,” Ryno told Condit during the meeting. “I will stand firm that Miss Smith is the most qualified fit in District 1. I believe that and I’m not gonna change my mind.”
Ryno is the only returning member of the previous City Council and was first elected in 2013. Both Silveira and Condit have served on the city planning commission. Silveira has worked for the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department for 29 years while Condit has worked for State Assemblyman Heath Flora.
Condit, the grandson of former Ceres Mayor and longtime valley Congressman Gary Condit, said the other three applicants besides Smith want to do what is best for the community.
“We shouldn’t send a message that only those in government will be considered and that somehow citizens can’t handle this job,” Condit said. “That’s a ridiculous, aristocratic attitude that allows only those who are in to stay in.”
If the council waits for a special election to fill the vacancy, deadlock on other issues is possible. Last month the council split 2-2 on motions to approve an amended development agreement with a cannabis dispensary and extend a conflict of interest code. The council postponed the former issue to an April meeting, with Silveira saying a full council will be able to take action.
The council has also delayed appointing people to the planning commission and Measure H Oversight Committee, deciding to wait until the District 1 seat is filled.
Unless the council schedules a special meeting to continue discussing an appointment, officials will revisit the issue at the next regular meeting at 6 p.m. Monday, Feb. 22.
This story was originally published February 10, 2021 at 8:36 AM with the headline "‘I’m not gonna change my mind’: Deadlocked Ceres council again delays appointment."
