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Council accepts resignations, confirms appointments and approves consent calendar
Summary
At its Jan. 14 meeting the Modesto City Council accepted multiple resignations, approved a slate of appointments and reappointments to city commissions and passed a consent calendar covering 13 items, all by roll call votes.
The Modesto City Council on Jan. 14 unanimously accepted several resignations, confirmed new and reappointed members to multiple city advisory bodies and approved its consent calendar, council members said during the meeting.
The actions included accepting resignations from Measure H Oversight Board member Tom Hallinan and Visit Modesto board member Damon Robbins, appointing Brad Morad to the Visit Modesto board to complete a partial term through Dec. 31, 2025 and then a full term beginning Jan. 1, 2026, and a series of other appointments and reappointments to planning- and advisory-related commissions. The council also approved the consent calendar, which included contracts, agreements and environmental approvals.
Why it matters: The appointments fill volunteer seats that advise city decision-makers on planning, zoning, historic preservation, disabled access and other local policy areas. The consent calendar contained agreements and administrative items that authorize city programs and contracts.
Key actions and outcomes (roll-call results recorded at the meeting):
- Item 1 — Accept resignation of Tom Hallinan from the Measure H Oversight Board. Motion by Councilmember Wright; second by Councilmember Williams. Vote: Alvarez Aye; Ricky Aye; Vice Mayor Bavaro Aye; Williams Aye; Wright Aye; Mayor Zwolan Aye. Outcome: approved.
- Item 2 — Accept resignation of Damon Robbins from the Visit Modesto Board of Directors and appoint Brad Morad to fill the partial unexpired term ending Dec. 31, 2025 and then serve a full term Jan. 1, 2026–Dec. 31, 2029. Motion by Councilmember Williams; second by Councilmember Wright. Vote: Alvarez Aye; Ricky Aye; Vice Mayor Bavaro Aye; Williams Aye; Wright Aye; Mayor Zwolan Aye. Outcome: approved.
- Item 3 — Accept resignation of Matthew Holbrook from the Citizens Transportation Sales Tax Commission. Motion by Councilmember Ricky; second by Councilmember Wright. Vote: Alvarez Aye; Ricky Aye; Vice Mayor Bavaro Aye; Williams Aye; Wright Aye; Mayor Zwolan Aye. Outcome: approved.
- Item 4 — Accept resignation of James McKay from the Airport Advisory Committee. Motion by Councilmember Williams; second by Councilmember Wright. Vote: Alvarez Aye; Ricky Aye; Vice Mayor Bavaro Aye; Williams Aye; Wright Aye; Mayor Zwolan Aye. Outcome: approved.
- Item 5 — Appoint Hans Hesselman (partial term exp. 12/31/2025), Naramza Gorial and Michael Arroyo (terms exp. 12/31/2028) and reappoint Aaron Black (term exp. 12/31/2028) to the Planning Commission. Motion by Councilmember Wright; second by Vice Mayor Bavaro. Vote: Alvarez Aye; Ricky Aye; Vice Mayor Bavaro Aye; Williams Aye; Wright Aye; Mayor Zwolan Aye. Outcome: approved.
- Item 6 — Reappoint Mark Muskinen and Manal Desai to the Board of Zoning Adjustment (terms exp. 12/31/2028). Motion; second by Councilmember Ricky. Vote: Alvarez Aye; Ricky Aye; Vice Mayor Bavaro Aye; Williams Aye; Wright Aye; Mayor Zwolan Aye. Outcome: approved.
- Item 7 — Reappoint Harrison Power and appoint Brinder Singh to the Landmark Preservation Commission (terms exp. 12/31/2028). Motion by Councilmember Ricky; second by Councilmember Alvarez. Vote: Alvarez Aye; Ricky Aye; Vice Mayor Bavaro Aye; Williams Aye; Wright Aye; Mayor Zwolan Aye. Outcome: approved.
- Item 8 — Appoint Monica Soria (term exp. 12/31/2025), Christine Stewart and David Townsend (terms exp. 12/31/2026), and David Harder and Terry Moffitt (terms exp. 12/31/2028) to the Disabled Access Appeals Board. Motion by Councilmember Williams; second by Councilmember Alvarez. Vote: Alvarez Aye; Ricky Aye; Vice Mayor Bavaro Aye; Williams Aye; Wright Aye; Mayor Zwolan Aye. Outcome: approved.
- Item 9 — Appoint Tony Silliman, Jennifer Ann Raleigh (name transcribed variably), Ricardo Ortiz, Bianca Agassi and Elizabeth Born Rostro to the Entertainment Commission (terms 01/01/2025–12/31/2028). Motion by Councilmember Wright; second recorded. Vote: Alvarez Aye; Ricky Aye; Vice Mayor Bavaro Aye; Williams Aye; Wright Aye; Mayor Zwolan Aye. Outcome: approved.
- Item 10 — Appoint Rajmeet Greywall as the Planning Commission representative to the Board of Zoning Adjustment for 2025 (term exp. 12/31/2025). Motion by Councilmember Wright; second by Councilmember Ricky. Vote: Alvarez Aye; Ricky Aye; Vice Mayor Bavaro Aye; Williams Aye; Wright Aye; Mayor Zwolan Aye. Outcome: approved.
- Item 11 — Appoint Cecil Russell as the Planning Commission representative to the Citizens Housing and Community Development Committee for 2025 (term exp. 12/31/2025). Motion by Councilmember Wright; second by Vice Mayor Bavaro. Vote: Councilmember Alvarez No; Councilmember Ricky No; Vice Mayor Bavaro Aye; Councilmember Williams Aye; Councilmember Wright Aye; Mayor Zwolan Aye. Tally: 4–2. Outcome: approved.
- Item 12 — Appoint Jim Spellman as a member at large on the Golf Courses Advisory Committee for a four‑year term (01/01/2025–12/31/2028). Motion by Councilmember Alvarez; second by Councilmember Williams. Vote: Alvarez Aye; Ricky Aye; Vice Mayor Bavaro Aye; Williams Aye; Wright Aye; Mayor Zwolan Aye. Outcome: approved.
- Items 13–25 (consent calendar) — Minutes, planning-district applications, bylaws amendments, monthly investment report for October 2024, agreements (including emergency services and background screening contracts), lease for a parking lot, municipal code speed-limit amendment (sec. 3‑2.14010.1 as transcribed), easement for Modesto Irrigation District, a mitigated negative declaration for the Municipal Groundwater Improvement Project under CEQA, and a memorandum of understanding for groundwater sustainability planning. Motion by Councilmember Wright; second by Councilmember Ricky. Vote: Alvarez Aye; Ricky Aye; Vice Mayor Bavaro Aye; Williams Aye; Wright Aye; Mayor Zwolan Aye. Outcome: approved.
Additional notes: The council remarks and roll-call votes were taken as recorded by the city clerk and read into the public record during the meeting. Several names and spellings in the clerk's readouts were inconsistent in the transcript; this article uses the spelling and naming used most consistently in the meeting audio and council discussion. The council did not take any other legislative or policy actions beyond the listed approvals during the Jan. 14 meeting.
