The Modesto Bee recommends this Ceres City Council special election candidate

Ceres these days finds itself in need of smart, steady leadership, perhaps like never before.

Like all cities, Ceres is emerging from a life-altering pandemic. The short-handed City Council has suffered from lack of a tie-breaking fifth member, preventing important work from getting done in 2-2 voting deadlocks. And the council recently learned that it’s losing its city manager, who oversees day-to-day operations for the city.

Laurie Smith is the special-election candidate most prepared and best suited to fill the council vacancy.

Smith raised three children as a single mother in her 34 years in Ceres. She knows first-hand the struggles and realities of many families.

Smith has worked 25 years for the city of Modesto, rising from the rank-and-file to become director of parks and recreation. She knows first-hand the challenges, intricacies and nuances of municipal agencies, from all levels.

Smith has spent the past 14 years on the Ceres Planning Commission and currently serves as its chairwoman. She knows the strengths and weaknesses of Ceres government, and no one is more closely attuned to its opportunities for growth and development.

“I can bring the experience, stability and professionalism that will help move Ceres forward,” Smith said in a recent Zoom debate hosted by The Modesto Bee Editorial Board. It can be viewed at modbee.com.

Ballots will be sent to voters Aug. 2 and must be returned by Aug. 31. The winner could be seated at the council’s Sept. 20 meeting.

The council vacancy was created with former Councilman Channce Condit’s November election to the Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors. At that point, two years remained in his Ceres term.

Ceres Council logjam

Although cities usually appoint someone to fill such a vacancy, the Ceres council could not agree. Two members preferred the more qualified Smith, while two others wanted to take a new direction. Such deadlocks produce special elections like the one now underway.

This editorial board stands by a previous opinion that the decision rightly belongs with voters in northwest Ceres’ District 1.

Voters may recognize Smith as the choice of Councilmembers Linda Ryno and Bret Silveira, representing what some see as the old guard. The new guard is composed of Mayor Javier Lopez and Councilman Couper Condit, the former councilman’s brother; Lopez and Couper Condit both were elected in November.

This recommendation does not contemplate which agenda — that of the old or new guard — is best. It simply recognizes Smith as far better prepared and more experienced than her opponents, Connie Vasquez and Jim Casey.

Vasquez, who owns a day care business, and Casey, who owns a local moving service, also are longtime Ceres residents. Both appear fond of Ceres and genuine in their desires to serve.

But Smith stands head and shoulders above her opponents in training and knowledge. She would hit the ground running to finish a term with little more than a year remaining before the District 1 seat is up again for election in fall 2022.

Such experience will prove valuable in coming months, as the City Council recruits someone to replace outgoing City Manager Tom Westbrook, lays out a pandemic recovery plan and learns to get along with each other.

With 48,900 people, Ceres is the third-largest city in Stanislaus County, behind Modesto and Turlock. Ceres residents deserve the very best representation as its leaders grapple with homelessness, a lack of affordable housing, and economic development, including retaining existing business and attracting new companies.

Laurie Smith is best prepared to immediately help Ceres meet its goals.