Editor, Ceres Courier,

I write to the Ceres Courier and City Council almost on a weekly basis with suggestions on how to make our city and government better.  Instead of suggesting, I applied for a vacant spot in the Planning Commission. To prepare, I read the Ceres General Plan 2035. I encourage everyone to read the plan because it can help with local government accountability. 

As stated in the plan, “a city’s general plan has been described as its constitution for development.”  It has 10 guiding principles along with goals and policies that city officials should follow if they are to adhere to the wishes of constituents.

Residents could use these goals and policies as factual evidence to call out City Council when making decisions that are not in line with the general plan.  For example, policies 4.B.1, 4.B.2, 4.B.3, 4.B.4, 4.B.5, 4.F.1, 5.B.4, 6.C.10, and 6.C.24, all speak to a need for multi-jurisdictional cooperation for funding and development of parks – yet the City Council voted to leave the park’s Joint Powers Authority and Tuolumne River Regional Park Citizen Advisory Committee. That decision was wrong because it went against so many Tuolumne River policies within the General Plan.  

Lower River Bluff has since reopened and could be included within the TRRP which could mean more grant money for further park development. Let’s not miss out on grant dollars! Please, new City Council, rejoin.

Alvaro Franco,

Ceres

LETTERS POLICY: Letters will be considered for publication but must be signed and include an address and phone number. Letters should be 250 words or less and be void of libel. Send to The Ceres Courier, 138 S. Center Street, Turlock CA 95380 or emailed to jeffb@cerescourier.com.