The Ceres City Council took action Monday to formalize some of the projects using ARPA funds which they committed the city to in June. They include a new gazebo for Whitmore Park, license plate reader cameras, improvements to the American Legion Hall and new tables for the Ceres Community Center.
The council had previously decided on ways to spend the remaining $3.3 million of the leftover funds from rounds one and two of the federal ARPA funds. ARPA stands for American Rescue Plan Act approved by Congress in 2021.
All items were on the consent agenda.
In June the council approved funding a full-time employee assigned to staff and maintain the lower terrace of Ceres River Bluff Regional Park at a cost of $100,000. The park sustained damage from the storms earlier this year which led to the closure of that area along the Tuolumne River.
The council also voted to buy and install $620,000 worth of License Plate Recognition (LPR) cameras at nine intersections in Ceres. The cameras will be placed on Hatch Road at Mitchell Road, Herndon Road and Central Avenue; on Whitmore Avenue at Mitchell Road, Morgan Road and Central Avenue; and along Service Road at Mitchell Road, Central Avenue and Morgan Road. License plate readers will also be installed on five additional patrol units.
LPRs are high-speed, computer-controlled camera systems that use optical character recognition technology to read plates at rates far higher than human operators or cameras – up to 900 plates per minute. They are sensor-based video analytics that automatically capture all license plate numbers that come into view, along with the location, date and time. This data is then uploaded to a central server where it can be accessed and analyzed by law enforcement personnel.
Police Chief Rick Collins said the city of Ceres is behind what other cities have as it only has one such camera. He suggested the cameras would be advantageous in recovering stolen vehicles, investigate crimes and missing person cases. He sounds appreciative of any cameras, saying strategic location is the key to effectiveness.
Another resolution approved by the council advances toward the ultimate building of a new gazebo at Whitmore Park by approving a $65,940 contract with O’Dell Engineering for a design.
The council agreed in June to allocate $500,000 in ARPA funds to a new gazebo, which will be added to a $200,000 “per capita” grant. Public Works Director Sam Royal said the cost includes engineering, a new concrete slab, a metal structure and new power supply that would last years into the future.
Another resolution which was approved gives Recreation Manager Joey Chavez the authority to purchase for the Ceres Community Center 60 round tables, 30 rectangle tables and 20 flip rectangle tables for $51,583.67. The total price was far lower than the $81,773 allocated by the council in June. The new tables will replace the ones which have become worn and broken since the center opened in 2007.
Another authorization approved Monday was a $15,680 contract with Joaquin Painting to paint the exterior of the Ceres American Legion Memorial Building. The building was last painted over 20 years ago.
Recreation Manager Joey Chavez suggested that the upgrades should help increase rentals of the facility.
The council also approved the replacement of the hall’s refrigerator, range oven, griddle with oven and top worktable at a cost of $8,183. The old equipment is over 30 years old.
