No assessments can be levied against downtown businesses until a majority of the members of the Ceres City Council can agree upon approving them.

At its Oct. 13 meeting, members were unable to agree on assessments levied on those within the Ceres Downtown Revitalization Area Board (CDRAB). Revenues collected from businesses pay for maintenance, landscaping and lighting. Only about $10,000 per year is collected.

Ceres Economic Development Manager Julian Aguirre warned that without the assessments, the current CDRAB fund will be depleted and cause more expenses to be covered by the General Fund.

CDRAB was initiated in 1989 in an effort to improve the looks of downtown. Participation has been shaky and some businesses haven’t paid since it’s voluntary.

Cere resident John Warren mentioned the cost of landscaping along other costs running about $26,000 per year with an income of only $10,000. Aguirre noted that payment is voluntary, prompting Warren to say implementing a fee not collectible “really isn’t the way to do business.”

Making matters worse, Aguirre noted that the vendor which was in charge of collecting business license fees for the city and CDRAB had missed new businesses. That vendor has since been replaced by HDL.

Despite that some business owners feel $10 per month is too little to accomplish what needs to be accomplished, the city wasn’t proposing an increase last month.

Councilwoman Cerina Otero asked why there is so little participation at meetings and was told by Aguirre that many don’t have staff to cover their absences and since many live out of town they don’t want to return to Ceres for an evening meeting.

“I don’t know how it’s fair that they can pick and choose when they want to pay, especially if we have the landscaping contract that that fund may not have enough money for,” said Otero.

Councilman James Casey agreed, saying “those who aren’t paying don’t plan on paying – they don’t see the benefits.”

She also suggested the city must update its strategic plan for downtown which was last crafted for the years 2013 to 2020.

She also asked: “Is there other things we can improve on before we move forward and start collecting the levies again?”

Because CDRAB found little interest among the 50 or so business and property owners to serve on the board, the city decided decades ago to have the Ceres Planning Commission act as the board.

Otero also wants to see the city make an attempt to get CDRAB back under control of business owners, not the Planning Commission wearing different hats.

After hearing City Manager Doug Dunford say without the assessments the already stressed General Fund bears all the costs of downtown maintenance, Councilwoman Rosalinda Vierra motioned to approve the assessments which received a second by Mayor Javier Lopez. The motion failed 2-2 with Casey and Otero both voting “no.” Daniel Martinez was absent.