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Residents press Ceres council over park declines as city defends contract cuts, declares intent to levy LLD assessments
Summary
Residents and a former councilwoman pressed the council July 13 over park maintenance after the city cut landscaping contracts and a parks maintenance position. Staff acknowledged a contract termination, said inspections and documentation procedures will be strengthened, and the council adopted a resolution declaring intent to levy Landscape & Lighting District assessments and set an Aug. 10 public hearing.
Several Ceres residents used the citizen comment period on July 13 to urge the council to address deteriorating parks and right‑of‑way landscaping as staff outlined recent contract and staffing changes.
Former councilmember Glenda (Linda) Rhino told the council that parks were showing "signs of neglect" and said the elimination of one full‑time parks maintenance worker, the cancelation of restroom‑cleaning and park security contracts and cuts to right‑of‑way landscaping have left the city shorthanded. "Hopefully, the council will find a way to make cuts somewhere else and do a budget amendment to get the help our city parks desperately need," she said.
The city manager and public works staff responded that the eliminated parks position and the BrightView landscaping contract were budget decisions and that those duties have fallen to city staff. The manager said the BrightView agreement has been terminated and that staff will implement stronger contract‑management practices — including documented spot checks, photographs and formal communications — to support withholding payments for nonperformance in future months. The manager said staff will issue an RFP for landscaping and lighting district services and meet the next morning to devise a staffing deployment plan.
Public comment extended to voucher transparency, contract payments and settlements. Local resident Galen Guzman pressed the council for clearer, more navigable agenda packets and voucher detail and expressed concern about recurring payments and settlements listed in the voucher report.
Separately, staff presented and the council approved (5–0) a resolution declaring the city's intent to levy assessments under the 1987 Landscape and Lighting District Act and set a public hearing for Aug. 10. Staff said the engineer's report shows a total LLD budget of about $659,397 with projected assessment revenue of $527,597 and a general fund supplement of $131,799 that was not approved in the budget; the report notes a roughly 3.1% increase in assessments. Staff told members the supplement would not be filled unless council approves additional funding at a future time and that the city keeps assessment funds in a separate LLD fund for accountability.
Why it matters: property owners pay LLD assessments to fund landscaping and lighting services in defined districts; residents argued they are not receiving promised services. Councilmembers and staff said they will work to clarify funding allocations, issue a new RFP for contractors and improve inspection and documentation before withholding payments for nonperformance.
Next steps: the city will post clearer maps and report details about which parcels are covered; staff will return with RFP specifications and a plan for how short‑term maintenance will be delivered until a new contract is in place. The Aug. 10 public hearing will consider the proposed levy.
