Betty Davis, Mike Welsh, Lourdes Perez and Valli Wigt are each guaranteed another four-year term on the Ceres Unified School District board. All four School Board incumbents are uncontested for re-election in the Nov. 5 election.
However, things are still fluid in the race for two seats on the Ceres City Council now occupied by Ken Lane and Eric Ingwerson.
Lane, Hugo Molina and Linda Ryno were the only official candidates in the race for Ceres City Council as of press deadline. Prospective candidates have until 5 p.m. today to file papers to place their name on the Nov. 5 ballot because incumbent Ingwerson did not file for re-election.
City Clerk Cindy Heidorn said only two others had picked up candidate papers but had not returned them as of Tuesday. Don Donaldson previously picked up candidate papers but told the city that he will not be running.
To qualify as a candidate for Ceres City Council, one must reside within the Ceres city limits, and be a registered voter in the city. Candidates must pick up nomination papers, which must be signed by no less than 20 and no more than 30 signatures of registered voters living within the city limits. Candidates are advised to get a few more than 20 signatures just in case the county learns that "nominators" are actually not registered voters. The city clerk handles the process nomination papers but the county conducts the election, which is expected to cost the city $20,000, charged by the Stanislaus County Elections Division.
Candidates for the city offices must see city clerk Cindy Heidorn at Ceres City Hall.
Valli Wigt is a retired teacher who was elected to the CUSD board in 2009.
Lourdes Perez is running for the District 5 seat, which she was elected to in 2009. She is program coordinator of Ceres Partnership For Healthy Children and former manager of the Ceres Drive-In and Flea Market. Both of her daughters attend Ceres schools.
Betty Davis is a former Ceres Unified teacher and librarian who spent 26-plus years in education. She has lived in Ceres for more than 40 years. She has served on the CUSD board since 2005.
Incumbent Mike Welsh is running unopposed in District 2. An appointee to the Ceres School Board in 2004, Welsh was elected in 2005 and 2009.
The candidate season has been extended in the Keyes Union School District which has three open seats for School Board. The terms of Jeff Reed, Jimmy Emmons Sr., and Tony Aguilar expire this year. Because Aguilar did not file to run again, the close of nominations will be today. Candidates for the three seats are Reed, Emmons and Audrey Mercer. If no additional candidates spring forth, Mercer will be appointed to the board in lieu of an election. She is a substitute teacher.
Closed races
Residents of Keyes will be voting for representatives to their Community Services District Board and Municipal Advisory Council. The KCSD seats occupied by William Alexander, Davie Landers and Eddie Jones all expire this year. All three are seeking re-election with a challenger in Johnathon Parker. Harinder Grewal will be appointed to the Keyes MAC board since he is the only candidate. Another seat was open and had no candidate.
Ceres Fire Protection District, which contracts with city fire services for a rural belt around Ceres, has an open seat with the expiration of Robert Renstad's term. Renstad was the only candidate and will be appointed in lieu of an election.
Two open seats on the Hughson Fire Protection District attracted two candidates in Raymond Camagna and Gus Villarreal. Since there are no challengers and thus no need for an election, an appointment will be made by the Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors.
In the Westport Fire Protection District, incumbent board members Martin Avila and Edward Amador Jr. are unopposed and will be reappointed to avoid unnecessary election costs.
One director position on the Turlock Irrigation District will not be on the ballot since there were no challengers. Division 2 covers Ceres and incumbent Charlie Fernandes has filed without opposition. There are races in Division 5, which has incumbent Ron Macedo pitted against Darrell Monroe. Joe Alamo and Daniel Agundez are in a fight for TID Division 3.
A total of three seats were open on the Monterey Park Tract Community Services District board but attracted only two candidates in Grady L. Jordan Sr., and Bettie Yelder.
