A vacancy on the Ceres Planning Commission needs to be filled and the city is asking interested Ceres residents to apply for consideration to be appointed.

Cerina Otero resigned from the commission to take the District 3 Ceres City Council seat.

The city is seeking applications from persons wishing to be appointed with a deadline of 5 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 21.

A council subcommittee of Councilmembers Daniel Martinez and Otero will interview each applicant. Community Development Director Lea Simvoulakis will attend and support the interview panel to answer questions. The subcommittee will present their recommended selection to the council at a regular meeting.

The newly appointed Planning Commissioners will become effective Jan. 1, 2025 and will each serve a four-year term.

The Planning Commission is a permanent advisory committee of citizens appointed by the mayor subject to confirmation by the City Council. Meetings are held on the first and third Mondays of each month at 6 p.m. to consider land use matters such as zone changes, conditional use permits, variances, subdivisions and general plan amendments.

Applications are available from City Hall and also online at https://www.ci.ceres.ca.us . For more information, call Simvoulakis at 209-538-5778; or Planning Division Administrative Secretary Ann Montgomery at 209-538-5774.

On Monday longtime commission members Bob Kachel and Gary del Nero sat through their last meeting. Both decided it was time to set down after each served about two decades. They will be replaced in January by Ruldip “R.J.” Jammu and Dr. Dorie Perez. Jammu previously served on the commission.

“I’ve learned a lot from you both and wish you well,” Condit told the two departing members. “We’ll certainly miss you.”

Commissioner Dave Johnson said it has been an “absolute honor and pleasure to work with these guys – I’m very sad they’re leaving but they’ve done their tour.”

Del Nero said the experience was fun and interesting. 

“I think the pièce de résistance was the Walmart … and there was about 250 people in here, one or two police officers and it was pretty cooking until about 11:30 at night,” said Del Nero. “It was interesting. I learned a lot.”

Del Nero said he applied after seeing a notice in the Ceres Courier and applied despite not knowing much about what the job entailed.

Kachel, who is leaving after 17 years, said serving was an honor and privilege. In his professional life, Kachel was employed as a planner with the city of Roseville beginning in June 1972 while attending college. They then joined the planning team at Stanislaus County.

“I’m done – that’s enough planning,” said Kachel.

He encouraged other citizens to put their name in the hat, saying “it’s a very rewarding thing to do.

“You get to meet a lot of nice people that you wouldn’t meet otherwise,” said Kachel.

He thanked city staff and single out Ann Montgomery, the clerk to the commission, calling her a “real rock” in the organization.

Both Kachel and del Nero will be honored at the Jan. 13 Ceres City Council meeting.

Community Development Director Lea Simvoulakis termed both men as “great commissioners during my short time here.”