Some members of the Ceres City Council took issue last week with how Mayor Javier Lopez decided who should be appointed to serve on specific committees.

Councilwoman Cerina Otero suggested that members should have been consulted on which committees they wanted to serve.

“Sometimes there might be other councilmembers that either have experience pertaining to one committee or maybe they want to continue serving on another,” said Otero.

While Councilman James Casey said he was “fine” with the committees chosen for him, he wanted to see the mayor inquire about which assignments they would be interested.

“Maybe some input from councilmembers, huh?” said Casey.

Mayor Javier Lopez answered the criticism, saying: “I think the only time that I’m able to speak to everybody at the same time without violating the Browns (sic) Act is here on the dais. And as far as the committee appointments, that is one of my duties as the mayor to make the recommendations and this is an opportunity for us to delegate whether or not you can be on it.”

The Ralph M. Brown Act does not forbid a mayor or a councilman talking one on one with another member.

The council went on to approve the committee assignments in a 5-0 vote.

The following is a list of the committees and the designated representatives from the council:

Christmas Festival – Vice Mayor Daniel Martinez and Councilwoman Rosalinda Vierra.

City-Schools Committee – Mayor Lopez and Rosalinda Vierra.

Concerts in the Park Committee – Martinez and Vierra.

County-City Selection Committee – Mayor Lopez.

East Stanislaus Integrated Regional Water Management Program (ESIRWSP) – Otero and Casey.

West Turlock Sub-basin Groundwater Sustainability Agency (JPA) – Otero and Casey.

League of California Cities’  Central Valley Division Executive Committee – Mayor Lopez and Otero (alternative).

Economic Development Advisory Committee – Otero and Redevelopment & Economic Development Manager Julian Aguirre.

Stanislaus Elder Abuse Prevention Alliance (SEAPA) – Councilman James Casey and Otero as alternate.

StanCOG Policy Board – Mayor Lopez and Martinez as the alternate.

Surface Water Joint Powers Authority Board (SRWA) – Lopez, Casey and Otero as the alternate.

Airport Advisory Committee –Casey, Otero as the alternate and the senior planner if the city hires one. 

San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District Special Selection Committee – Casey and Vierra as the alternate.

Stanislaus Homeless Alliance – Vierra and Casey as the alternate.

Fire Advisory Committee (to examine the Modesto contract for service) – Lopez and Martinez as alternate.

Local Emergency Planning Committee – Vierra and Otero as the alternate.