September 2022

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 Hey Modesto!

Here's a quick rundown of what is getting done at council these days.

• Graceada and Enslen Parks Closed Dusk to Dawn: In an effort to reduce rampant bad behavior in our parks, the city council voted to allow the Parks Manager to change hours including at Graceada and Enslen.
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• Modesto's Turf Program Expanded: At tonight's meeting, the city council voted to expand Modesto's Turf program. It gives up to $3000 in rebates when residents install low water landscaping. Sign up for the turf program by clicking here.
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• Meet the Mayor on Thursday in Enslen Park: Mayor Sue Zwahlen and I will both be at Enslen this Thursday at 6PM for Meet the Mayor in the Park. The best way change our community is to make sure your representatives understand our neighborhood problems.

Feel free to respond or drop me a call or text at 209-799-7647. 

Chris Ricci

City of Modesto

City Council District 3

p-209-799-7647  

 Hey Modesto!

Most of you know about the sales tax measure H that is going to hit the ballot to help support services in the City of Modesto coming up.

Modesto City Budget Quick Facts:

• The City of Modesto budget has an $8 million deficit. It is unsustainable.
• Modesto Police Department had 300 officers in 2008. It has less than 200 officers now.
• Fire Department response times have dramatically increased since 2008.
• Forestry and Parks Departments have significantly less staff since 2008. As a result our trees aren't being maintained like they should and our parks are deteriorating.

The future of public safety and city services in our community depends on the decision made by voters like you on Measure H on November 8th.

If you read my emails every month you know, I have faith in Modesto. I believe in a bright future here for our community and for our children. It's worth investing in. I am voting yes on H.

Feel free to respond or drop me a call or text at 209-799-7647. 

Chris Ricci

City of Modesto

City Council District 3

p-209-799-7647  

Hey Modesto!

We're making a ton of progress this summer and here's a quick July update:

1.) Park Rangers: Ranger program is officially launched. Email park related issues to parkrangers@modestopd.com.

2.) CHAT Expansion: Modesto's CHAT Team responds to police calls related to homelessness and some mental health incidents freeing up MPD to respond more effectively to crimes. This week funding was approved for 10 officers to be funded for 5 years, more than doubling the program.

1.) Safe Parking for the Homeless: Safe parking was passed by City Council last week. It will be located next to the Homeless Shelter on 9th St.

MEET THE MAYOR TONIGHT: Thursday at 6PM at Wesson Ranch Park, 1001 W. Union Ave! Come hang out with Sue and have a chat. She's doing so much for Modesto!

Anything I should know about going on in your neighborhood? Please respond or drop me a call or text at 209-799-7647.

Chris Ricci

City of Modesto

City Council District 3

p-209-799-7647 

Hey Modesto!

It's been a busy couple of months and it is high time to catch everyone up! First up, if you are having trouble with your city tree respond to this email. I'll help you sign up to get it handled.

In the meantime here are the Modesto highlights you need to know:

1.) Safe Parking for the Homeless: Safe parking (parking for homeless who live in their cars) was approved by Modesto's Safety and Communities Committee last week. It will go to City Council in July for approval / implementation.

2.) Abandoned Commercial Buildings Ordinance: Abandoned commercial buildings like Orchard Supply Hardware, Toys R Us, and the vacant Save Mart on Pelandale are eyesores and magnets for crime and vagrancy. I am hopeful our new ordinance will start the approval process in August.

3.) Auto Dealership Parking Ordinance: Due to consistent misuse of street parking in neighborhoods (especially on / around Helen and Geer Ct), I have instructed the city to develop an ordinance to prevent dealers from parking inventory in neighborhoods. This also should start the approval process in August.

Anything I should know about going on in your neighborhood? Please respond or drop me a call or text at 209-799-7647.

Chris Ricci

City of Modesto

City Council District 3

p-209-799-7647 

Hey District 3,

Due to California's Senate Bill 1383, the City of Modesto is required by the state to change the way that we collect garbage. We have to choose between a 2 or 3 can system. Please fill out the city's survey below ASAP as it includes questions that will change your rates as well as how many cans you get.

City of Modesto 2 cans or 3 Survey

In other news, the city budget is also coming up soon. My focuses will be:

1.) Forestry: Providing appropriate funding to take care of city trees, most of which live on your properties.

2.) Police Funding Priorities: Assign two new traffic officers including a DUI Enforcement Officer to help reduce speeding, accidents, and DUIs.

3.) Homelessness: Fund new strategies to create immediate impacts on homelessness including safe parking, safe camping, and additional funding to the Downtown Streets Team

Click here to see what I predict is coming to council over the next 60 days. It's been updated as we did pass the local hire ordinance and added the new priority of the dealer neighborhood parking ordinance.

Anything I should know about going on in your neighborhood? Please respond or drop me a call or text at 209-799-7647.

Chris Ricci

City of Modesto

City Council District 3

p-209-799-7647 

 Hey District 3,

Cold enough for everyone? Looks like winter is going give us a last push before we head into spring. Glorious outdoor seasons are coming next!

We will all enjoy time in city parks with friends and family. I take my three year old to Graceada or Roosevelt park at least twice a week and I've been disappointed in a lot of the behavior I have seen in broad daylight. I also heard all the concerned calls and emails from our residents. The rest of the council and city staff heard you as well.

The city responded at the last council meeting and council approved Park Rangers with the goal of making Modesto's parks safer.

The first step will be hiring and training and then you'll start seeing Rangers patrolling our parks in their signature pickups. We should start seeing an impact this summer. I'll be looking forward to hearing your feedback on how it works, and remember, if you see a ranger come by and introduce yourself because they are going to be an important part of our city family.

Click here to see what I predict is coming to council over the next 60 days. It's not cast in stone by any means, but these are the things I am working on.

Anything I should know about going on in your neighborhood? Please respond or drop me a call or text at 209-799-7647.

Chris Ricci

City of Modesto

City Council District 3

p-209-799-7647

Hey District 3,

As we start the new year, I am starting to work on budgeting. Budgeting isn't about raising taxes, it's about repurposing the money we already have. The following are some of the things I think we should strengthen for 2022-2023.

1. Fund Forestry Division appropriately.

2. Improve quality of life by funding the CHAT (Community Health and Assistance Team) / Rangers programs to improve park safety.

3. Expand Downtown Street Team (homeless outreach and case management)

4. Add (1) Traffic Police Officer + (1) DUI Enforcement Officer

5. Change bulky item pick up program to allow household garbage

6. Create a marketing plan for Turf Replacement Program 

7. Create a Turf Replacement Program to save water and budget in City parks.

8. Create an outdoor Roller Skating Rink, in a popular high traffic location, for maximum enjoyment and visibility.

9. Fund some billboards for to discourage illegal fireworks.

Am I missing any priorities? Please respond or drop me a call or text at 209-799-7647.

Chris Ricci

City of Modesto

City Council District 3

p-209-799-7647

Hey District 3,

There is so much to do at Holiday time from skating downtown with friends and family at Modesto on Ice, to giving toys to your neighbors at the little library located at 1812 Brendler Way, to checking out the ho ho holiday light display over at 3313 Bridgeport, or borrowing a puzzle from the puzzle library on 2708 Stuyvesant Circle in Dutch Hollow.

Even with all the fun though we're still working to make Modesto better.

Forestry: I continue to work with the city to properly fund forestry, but in the meantime I know many of you are still having issues with your trees, especially due to the storms. If you are still having problems please respond to this email or call / text me at 209-799-7647.

Traffic Problems - Speeders, red light runners, hollywood stoppers, it's just getting out of control. Hats off to our friends at CANA (College Area Neighborhood Association) for their work to address problem. However, we also need another traffic officer and a DUI officer to take a bigger bite out of the overall problem. I'll be advocating for their inclusion in the next budget.

Dog Park - Our dog park becomes a giant mud bog in the winter and a dust bowl in the summer. I've been taking note of all your great ideas to fix the problem and am sharing those ideas with staff. Will update you all if we are able to make improvements.

$8.5 Million to Martin Luther King Park - City of Modesto won a grant of $8.5 million for Martin Luther King Park. The newly named and improved park will include an indoor basketball court, performance stage, splash pad! This project is being delivered by CA State Prop 68 grant funds.

Have a great holiday season, a merry Christmas, and a happy new year.

Chris Ricci

City of Modesto

City Council District 3

p-209-799-7647

Hey District 3,

It's hard to believe it is already here, 2022. While we were able to accomplish a lot of great things in 2021, we've still got so much work to do. Let's take a peek at what's in store for next year:

Fund Forestry: Appropriately budget forestry department with a vision of long term goals, impacts, and funding requirements.

Blighted Commercial Properties: Pass an ordinance to make it harder for landlords to leave blighted buildings like the old Toys R Us, Longs, and OSH.

Homelessness: Get Ranger approval, expand Police CHAT program, institute safe parking and safe camping. Expand Downtown Streets Team.

Increase Housing: Find a pathway for ownership for 50K income, work with CDC to lend for ADUs (mother in law quarters), and start a downtown housing project.

Build Culture / Quality of Life: Bring an outdoor roller rink, launch Taco Quest, imbed parks with local character and unique attractions.

Upgrade Communications: Hire for open city positions, develop public access, and create a monthly city email.

Develop Cannabis Income: Get the $1 million+ grant for cannabis equity (phase 2). Support events and strategies that increase cannabis tax revenues. Modesto earned over $5 million in Cannabis income. That's equal to well over 2 dozen firefighters!

What have we done so far? Click here for Results from 2021

It's going to be another better year, Modesto. I'm always eager to hear from you and work to find more great ideas and great solutions to make our community an even better place to live and work. I'm looking forward to 2022!

Chris Ricci

City of Modesto

City Council District 3

p-209-799-7647

Hey District 3,

This month I want to give you a brief Modesto update. Lots going on and not a much time, so let's get to it!

Current Projects / Updates:

Park Rangers: They can help reduce crimes in our parks and make them safer. Good news here is that Rangers passed committee this month. If they pass at council (hopefully soon) a program will be put in place sometime next year.

Trees: We've been removing a lot of dead trees and digging up dozens of stumps. Is yours not on my list? Feel free to send me an email or call 209-799-7647 and I will try to help. (Tree Storm Update Click here)

Saving the Drinking Lion: The drinking lion was a star in Beard Brooke Park for decades, but it needs a new home. Thanks to a lot of fantastic concerned citizens and City of Modesto's Parks Department, the Drinking Lion will survive in a new habitat, on the Virginia Trail.

Geer Court: As neighbors there know, there has been significant bad behavior by a local car dealer on McHenry Ave. City of Modesto is working hard to make it right and I am confident in the trajectory of their work to get a long term solution. Stay in touch with me via phone (209-799-7647) or email if you see anything.

Saving Water: Thanks to your effort and the continued successful implementation of the city's turf program Modesto is on track to save over 1,000,000 gallons of residential water in 2021 alone. You can take advantage too. Remember City of Modesto will pay $3000 towards the material cost of your brand new low water landscaping. Sign up Click here:

That's your update for now, look for another coming late in November.

Chris Ricci

City of Modesto

City Council District 3

p-209-799-7647

Hey District 3,

This month's update covers what we are trying to do about homelessness in our city. In the article below you'll find some proposed solutions, reports on our progress, and what others are doing to help.

Councilman Ricci, Sheriff Dirkse advocating for campgrounds for homeless

BY KEVIN VALINE

UPDATED SEPTEMBER 12, 2021 05:48 AM

Councilman Chris Ricci is proposing Modesto use park rangers to patrol city parks to curb illegal activity, such as drug use, and designate areas in the city where homeless people can camp or sleep in their cars.

Ricci raised the ideas at Tuesday’s City Council meeting and said in an interview he wants the proposals to be discussed at the council’s next Safety and Communities Committee meeting in October.

The rangers “would be the eyes and ears for the city,” Ricci said, adding he has been talking with City Manager Joe Lopez and Police Chief Brandon Gillespie about the need for rangers for about a month.

While Modesto has about 75 parks, Ricci said the city could start with a small number of rangers assigned full time to the handful of parks that draw the most complaints. He stressed that homeless people, like all city residents, have the right to be in city parks, but they and other residents don’t have the right to engage in bad behavior.

Ricci represents Council District 3 — which encompasses central Modesto — and said he is hearing from his constituents that they are tired of finding heaps of trash, needles and other drug paraphernalia in their parks as well as seeing drugs being used and sold. But he said his proposal is for all city parks that need attention.

He said the idea of designating sites where people who are homeless can camp or sleep in their cars, motor homes and other vehicles came from Stanislaus County Sheriff Jeff Dirkse.

The two discussed it a couple of weeks ago on Ricci’s radio show, Better Modesto, which airs 10 to 11 a.m. Saturdays on KFIV. (Ricci’s cohost, Redeemer Modesto Pastor Jim Applegate, did not appear on that episode.)

In an interview, Dirkse said his proposal is in its very early stages, and he needs to build consensus for it among the elected and other top officials in county government and the county’s nine cities. He said he is just starting to talk with these officials and expects it could take several months before he knows whether he has the support he needs.

“I have started having those conversations,” Dirkse said. “... No one is saying no.”

Dirkse said while the details need to be worked out, he envisions about a dozen campgrounds, each with about two dozen campsites and a maximum occupancy of about 50 people. The campgrounds would provide water, toilets and trash, but the homeless would have to provide their own tents and other gear.

The campers would have to follow rules, such as keeping their campsites neat and clean, or face being barred from the campgrounds. They also would have to pay some sort of rent or perform some sort of service to maintain their campground. Dirkse said this ensures the campers feel invested in the campgrounds’ success.

Outreach workers would visit the campgrounds and refer people to services.

There could be separate sites for people who sleep in vehicles, or the campgrounds could include tents and vehicles. But each site could not have more than 50 people.

Dirkse said it’s critical the campgrounds are distributed equally throughout the county and its cities. That does not mean every city gets a campground. For instance, he thinks it makes sense that Riverbank and Oakdale could share one site while Modesto could have three or four.

COUNTYWIDE SOLUTION NEEDED

He said homelessness is a countywide issue and the solution must be countywide. He added that placing camps throughout the county makes sense because people who are homeless generally have ties to the communities they live in. So a homeless person in Turlock may be reluctant to stay at a campground in Modesto.

This is similar to the Modesto Outdoor Emergency Shelter, the temporary tent city under the Ninth Street Bridge in the Tuolumne River Regional Park. MOES operated from February 2019 to January 2020, and housed about 450 people.

Dirkse said while MOES gave law enforcement a place to send homeless people rather than having them sleep in parks, alleys and elsewhere, it was too large and that created problems.

Ricci and Dirkse said offering campgrounds does not replace the need for additional services for homeless people and the need for more affordable housing but it recognizes that some homeless people will not stay at shelters. The campgrounds would be a temporary, safe and secure place for homeless people to stay until they were ready to enter a shelter or housing.

“We as a city need to start being more proactive and act faster to address drastic community needs,” Ricci said. “These are things (park rangers and homeless camping) that we can do that won’t cost a lot of money, and will have a dramatic, positive impact on our neighborhoods and unhoused community. It’s a win win.”

NIMBYISM AN OBSTACLE

Dirske said having designated sites for homeless and car campers frees up sheriff’s deputies’ and police officers’ time to focus on more pressing matters. He said rather than continually dealing with people sleeping in parks or encampments, law enforcement can send them to a campground.

He said his proposal addresses the quality-of-life complaints people have about homeless people living in their neighborhoods or in encampments along the Tuolumne River and Highway 99. But Dirkse acknowledges he has to overcome NIMBYism.

“I guess the question for the public to answer is, ‘Would you rather see them in a designated campground or out everywhere across our community?’ the sheriff said. “For me, I’d rather see them in a designated campground.”

Ricci stressed having rangers patrol parks and providing homeless people with places to camp are not new ideas and are being done in other cities.

Modesto’s current strategy to keep its parks inviting and safe includes using the city’s police cadets and a private security company. The cadets’ duties include checking on city parks. And Rank Security patrols the parks that draw the most complaints and responds to residents’ complaints.

Ricci said while he appreciates the effort, it is not sufficient. He said the park rangers would be a temporary measure until more services and housing come online for people who are homeless.

PANDEMIC MONEY FOR RANGERS?

He believes the city can use its federal American Rescue Plan Act funding to pay for the rangers. Modesto is receiving nearly $46 million from the act to help it deal with the financial impacts of the pandemic. It received half of the money in May, and will get the balance next year.

City officials have said this is one-time money that needs to be spent wisely because of the city’s many needs. And it does not address the structural deficit with the city’s operating budget.

Campgrounds for people who are homeless drew support from a 40-year-old man who was lying on the grass Wednesday afternoon under a tree in Modesto’s Enslen Park. The man — who declined to give his name — said he and his mother have been homeless most of this year after losing their home to foreclosure.

He said he doesn’t stay in shelters because of his dog, an 8-year-old Jack Russell terrier-Chihuahua mix named Bolo. The man said he sleeps where he can, and spent the previous night sleeping on a bench along the Virginia Corridor, the popular paved walking path.

“Right now,” he said, “there is no place to camp.”

###

Chris Ricci

Modesto City Council District 3

P-209-799-7647

Hey Neighbors,

From time to time I like to share updates on what we are working on down at City Hall. We've had some successes, some let downs, and some works in progress, but things are happening. Here's a quick review.

Policy Achievements: (since last update)

RAD Card: Back in March council approved over $700,000 in funding for the RAD Card program to support business across the City of Modesto. With the rapid spread of the delta variant this approval has proven even more important to our local businesses.

Refunding Forestry: As part of federal ARPA Funding, City of Modesto successfully refunded the Forestry department this year. Council allocated nearly $2 million in additional funding for this year. Now forestry teams will be able to remove more stumps, remove dead trees, and even plant some new ones.

Police Funding: Keeping Modesto safe is a high priority for this council. Police funding was raised over $10 million year to year.

Fire Department Partnership: Modesto Fire Department has joined in a partnership with City of Ceres that will increase safety in the region and lower overall expenses for both Ceres and Modesto.

(for previous policy achievements go to: https://chrisricciforcouncil.com/progress-report)

On the Burner Projects:

Public Relations Reform: The way that cities present themselves to the public over the past 20 years has changed dramatically. I am currently working to help the city find an effective voice in social media that allows its departments to maintain their identity and purpose while molding a positive and honest view of our community.

Housing: ADU's / Tiny Houses / Mother in Law Quarters: We have successfully eliminated or dramatically reduced permit fees and we are in the process of getting shovel ready pre-approved plans for interested parties. Next steps include creating funding options for homeowners and a marketing plan.

Longer Term Projects:

Forward Together: Nearly 3 dozen community members from diverse backgrounds representing groups like the District Attorney, the Modesto Police Officer's Association, the NAACP and the North Valley Labor Federation are working together to find new ways to make our community safer for the public and police alike. The council will be looking for their conclusions in just over a year.

Warehouse Market: Based on the Eastern Market (https://easternmarket-dc.org/our-indoor-merchants/) in Washington DC, Modesto's version will bring that same opportunity for local merchants to develop their businesses as well as for local folks to have access to fresh meat, poultry, fish, and produce. Although still in the idea development stage, we are making slow, but steady progress.

Unpassed Policies:

Not every idea works out. Not every idea is a good idea. Policies fail for lots of reasons. Click here to learn about some of the things I worked on that haven't worked out... (https://chrisricciforcouncil.com/well-that-didnt-work-%3A) so far anyway!  

Please reach out to me if you have any questions, ideas, or just want to talk about Modesto.

Sincerely,

Chris

Chris Ricci

Modesto City Council District 3

P-209-799-7647 

Hey Neighbors,

I received this email from Terhesa Gamboa, a tireless advocate for the Woodland West neighborhood. Her 4th of July insights are so good I am sharing them with you. I think they reflect how all of District 3 feels. We want to celebrate, but let's do it safely.

--Chris

Dear District 3:

The Fourth of July is this weekend. Many of us will be gathering for food, fun and fireworks. This is a reminder to be considerate of our pets and our veterans who might have PTSD. Even if your dog or cat might have been fine with the noise last year, they might be frightened this year. Please secure your yards and your pets ahead of time. Make sure your dogs are walked early and have their collars with tags on them. Chips help to make sure your pets are returned to you if they get lost. Keep them in a safe and secure area during fireworks. If your pets require medication call your vet soon, do not wait. Thunder shirts help keep them calm, you can buy them at Petco and Petsmart. If they are allowed outside during festivities, please leash them. If your pet gets lost, make a lost pet report with the shelter. They are waiving fees in July for lost pets. Let me know and I will post their picture on Facebook. There are veterans in our neighborhood who really suffer during this holiday. Please be considerate of them. Loud booms late at night are not good for them or our pets.

Illegal fireworks are a problem every year. Fireworks that are aerial or move uncontrollably on the ground are illegal. The fine for possession of these fireworks is $1,000. Report illegal fireworks through the GoModesto! app, Modesto Police Dispatch at 209-552-2470 or Crime Stoppers at 209-521-4636. For loud parties, the noise ordinance is from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. You may be asked to sign a complaint; you can call any time of day for noise disturbances. For our county areas, call the Sheriff’s Department at 209-552-2468. They are trying to crack down on illegal fireworks in Modesto. There will be extra officers in the field for the holiday.

Please celebrate responsibly everyone! Have a bucket of water nearby for spent fireworks. Things are very dry this year. Dry grass and trees can spark easily causing a fire. Be safe and enjoy the weekend.

Sincerely,

Terhesa Gamboa

209-576-8484 home

209-247-2769 cell

Chris Ricci

Modesto City Council District 3

P-209-799-7647 

Hey Everyone,

First of all thanks to all of you that got out there and participated in the budget process. We heard you and I am proud of the progress that we are making. Our city team, the mayor, and our fellow council people laid out priorities that will set up Modesto for a brighter future.

Some of the highlights include:

Downtown Housing: City of Modesto is creating a revolving loan fund to help developers fulfill a priority that has been discussed for as long as I can remember. The best part about it is that once a project is paid off we can use the money again to fund the next one.

City Tree / Urban Forest Funding: I am thrilled that we are making the positive budget moves we need to take care better care of our urban forest and visioning for a future that keeps a healthy canopy as priority.

Children's Museum: Thanks to the work of several Modesto families and an investment from our federal funds, City of Modesto is excited to help make the Modesto Children's Museum a reality.

Awesome Spot: It's all about inclusive play and the Awesome Spot is a place where everyone can play together in Beyer Park. Setting aside funding for the Awesome Spot will be another move towards a bright future for our city.

Graffiti Museum: You can't deny our Graffiti Heritage and it is about time we put together a Graffiti Museum to celebrate. Seeing gleaming hot rods will be something appreciated by locals and tourists for generations to come and City of Modesto has set aside federal money to push this project into reality.

Feel free to respond to this email if you have any questions about these issues or anything else going on in District 3. Looking forward to chatting again next month!

Best regards,

Chris

Chris Ricci

Modesto City Council District 3

P-209-799-7647 

Hey Everyone,

It's a really positive and important time in Modesto. We are in a position right now to help our community make critical decisions to ensure that policing is fair to everyone.

I need you to do 2 things right now.

1.) Take the Modesto Police Chief Survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ModestoPC

2.) Attend the Policing in Modesto Meeting on Saturday May 22nd at 10AM via zoom or in person at City Hall. Click here for zoom link and meeting info. https://www.modestogov.com/forwardtogether

If we work together we can make sure that Modesto has the future it deserves

Best regards,

Chris

Chris Ricci

Modesto City Council District 3

Hi District 3,

It's been a busy month down at city hall, but it has been really rewarding working with my fellow council members and the community. We've been talking about trees, homelessness, housing, policing, safety, and an awful lot about the future.

With all that in mind this coming week is budget week. We have a responsibility to our district to make sure our needs are addressed. The College Area Neighborhood Association is aware and set up a Zoom Meeting for Monday, 4/19/21 at 6 pm. We're going to be talking about our district's needs in the budget process and your ideas, dreams, and vision to help our community flourish in 2021.

Click here at 6PM on Monday April 19th, 2021 to join our meeting - Link or https://zoom.us/j/99500279857?pwd=VDJmRGVUNWJBdFdmVlVFZHVRdXphUT09

Budget week also means a lot of meetings at City Hall. We need you to participate if our district is going to have its needs addressed. Did you know our city's general fund is around $300 million?

You can still participate by zoom and it is really easy to tune in. Just click the link below at the times below and you'll be able to watch and comment.

Monday April 19, 2021: 9 AM to 4 PM

Tuesday April 20, 2021: 9 AM to 4 PM

Wednesday April 21, 2021: 9 AM to 4 PM

Thursday April 22, 2021: 1 PM to 4 PM (If necessary)

Friday April 23, 2021: 1 PM to 4 PM (If necessary)

Lunch: 12 PM to 1 PM (Monday through Wednesday)

Joining the Committee meeting via Zoom

The City of Modesto is now offering the ability to view and participate in Committee meetings via telephonic conferencing via “Zoom” video conferencing computer technology. The meeting may be accessed through the use of Zoom using the following options:

·        Enter the following link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86945970570,

·        Enter the following link: https://zoom.us/ and using the Webinar ID 869 4597 0570

·        Passcode 84326

Together we can make this city the place it deserves to be and improve our district. I appreciate all your help and attention.

Best regards,

Chris

Chris Ricci

Modesto City Council District 3

P-209-799-7647

Hey Everyone,

Been a while since we caught up, but thought I would shoot you guys an update of what I am working on and hopefully get some feedback on direction. It probably doesn't surprise you that there are a ton of balls in the air, but we've also got a few things done.. 

Let's take a look:

Policy Achievements:

App Challenge: The City of Modesto is coordinating with Modesto City Schools to encourage students to develop apps for computers and phones. Participants will submit their programs to the Congressional App Challenge with a winner from the district going to Washington DC.

Covid Max App Fee: We passed a delivery app fee limit that created a maximum charge to restaurants of 15% until covid ends. Many apps like Door Dash or UberEats were charging fees of 30% crushing local small businesses.

Stan State Intern Program: Working with Stan State and the City we were able to coordinate an internship program allowing students to work on community programs and earn college credits.

Cannabis Equity Grant: Working with Tony Madrigal and the NAACP we were able to green light entering the State of California's Cannabis Equity Grant program. We were recently informed the City of Modesto has been awarded the first of two possible rounds of funding for this program.

On the Burner Projects:

RAD Card: This Thursday (3/25) at a special meeting of the economic development committee we will be discussing adding funds to the Downtown Modesto Partnership's highly successful rad card program. The RAD Card has generated hundreds of thousands of dollars for local eateries and is a critical stop gap measure during the pandemic. Cancelling funding for it now would be premature.

Refunding Modesto's Forestry Department: Modesto's forestry department was defunded during the great recession. We are working on a couple of different funding strategies to try to solve current epidemic problems ranging from mistletoe and dying trees to sustaining the long term vision of a healthy canopy in our neighborhoods.

Public Relations Reform: Modesto's public relations system needs to be upgraded and reorganized to reflect the new media reality both nationally (significant swings to digital marketing) and locally where corporate consolidation has essentially created a media desert in newspapers, radio stations, and television.

AirBnb Rules: Currently Modesto has over 100 Airbnb's renting out rooms every night, but City of Modesto doesn't have a mechanism to collect revenue from these local businesses.

Civic Bank: I am attempting to get a Civic Bank on the agenda for the 10th Street Place JPA in June. If supported, the bank will be located in 10th Street Place and essentially be designed to lower fees (like check cashing) and improve financial literacy in our community.

1st Tier Homeless Housing: Working with the SHARES team and the Pallet Shelter company we are in the process of trying to create a deal that will help the homeless and be sustainable over the long term.

Longer Term, but on the Radar:

Police Civilian Review Board: A police review board would be a helpful improvement if it is organized with the right levels of authority. It is going to take some time to get it right, but there are really good people working on this throughout the community.

Graffiti: Bringing back a real Graffiti cruise is a way we can improve our community's self esteem and pride. It will also create a strong economic stimulus.

Warehouse Market, Community Gardens, and Little Libraries: We are working on getting a list of properties owned by the City of Modesto. This has been slow, but we'll be able to kick start these projects once it is done.

ADU's / Tiny Houses / Mother in Law Quarters: These are an important part of the affordable housing continuum. We're working on reducing or possibly eliminating fees to spur development of these to try to gain additional housing inventory in Modesto.

Let me know if there are things that I should be on that I might be missing or if you have any comments. 

Thanks again for all your support.

Best regards,

Chris

Chris Ricci

Modesto City Council District 3

P-209-799-7647

Hey District 3,

It's Chris Ricci, your city council member, with your February District 3 Newsletter! Here's a quick rundown of what we're working on for you down at City Hall.

Welcome to our New Mayor Sue Zwahlen!

We are thrilled to welcome a new mayor this month to lead us through the end of the pandemic, Sue Zwahlen. I am sure she will put all 40 years of her health care experience to work getting Modesto back to health and back to work! As the former president of the Modesto City School Board, we'll also benefit from her many years of community leadership.

Modesto Lowers DoorDash / Grub Hub Fees to help Restaurants in Pandemic

It was a pleasure to work with fellow council members Rosa Escutia Braaton and Tony Madrigal to recommend that the city council adapt a new ordinance to lower fees charged by delivery apps like DoorDash and Grub Hub to 15%. Local restaurant owners told us this would save many of them $1000 a week in fees. That's enough to be a rent payment or an electric bill. After doing research on how the deal impacted delivery drivers, we implemented it at the last January Council Meeting. The ordinance will sunset at the end of the pandemic.

Covid Hospitalizations Down, but Modesto is still in the Dangerous Purple Zone

After over a month in a state of lockdown, Modesto is still in the highest color tier of Covid 19 spread. We met with Dr. V, our county health director, on Thursday morning and she gave us a few recommendations as we continue to fight through the pandemic. She recommends getting the vaccine when your turn comes up as it is the best way to keep yourself safe and slow down new variants. She also advised us to continue to stay home when you can, use a face covering (or a double face covering if you have it), and to avoid large gatherings even with family and friends. Dr. V reminds us that although we are getting better we just aren't out of this yet.

Trees Maintenance in District 3. It's Time For A Change

District 3 is known as having some of the best trees across the city. Unfortunately, the trees have become plagued with mistletoe and many are just suffering from old age. After talking to members of CANA we are exploring solutions that will give us a better direction for the future and help preserve our natural canopy. If you have any concepts to help please email me back and let me know!

Stay safe Modesto and please contact me if you have any questions.

Chris

Chris Ricci

Modesto City Council District 3

P-209-799-7647

Stay in touch with City news - Be sure to head over to the City website to sign up for the monthly newsletter, delivered right to your email inbox. Also, make sure you like and follow our Facebook and Twitter channels!

 January 2021 Modesto Council District 3 UPDATE

Covid-19 Vaccines Are Now Available for Modesto Residents 65+

Hey District 3:

Covid Vaccines are available for those who are 65+ at 830 Scenic in Modesto. Bring your ID with your Stan Co. address. They will be available all week from 9am-5pm.

Stay safe Modesto and please contact me if you have any questions.

Chris

Chris Ricci

Modesto City Council District 3

P-209-799-7647

Stay in touch with City news - Be sure to head over to the City website to sign up for the monthly newsletter, delivered right to your email inbox. Also, make sure you like and follow our Facebook and Twitter channels!

December 2020 Modesto Council District 3 UPDATE
Welcome to my neighborhood newsletter - it’s your place to know what's up in town and also what I am working on. I encourage you to respond and reach out if I am missing something, so don’t hesitate to get in touch! 

This Week's Highlight:

My wife Kimberly and I toured District 3 a couple of weeks checking out all the Christmas lights and I am really proud. We are some amazing neighbors that really know how to spread that holiday cheer. Something to look for -- I will be announcing my top District 3 holiday house at the next council meeting -- and challenging the other districts to knock off our winner next year. You better watch out! You can watch the council meeting: https://www.modestogov.com/749/City-Council-Agendas-Minutes

Other Happenings:

Warning Road Construction Ahead - 

Did you know that just since July, the City of Modesto has completed 96.41 lane miles of slurry seal application to fix our streets? This project will continue through April of 2021. We hear you and are taking fixing roads seriously! 

Woodland between 9th and Carpenter - 

Woodland between 9th and Carpenter is a traffic disaster on weekday afternoons, often backing up all the way to the Chevron. I got a call from one of our neighbors, Bruce, and he suggested a great solution. We're running his idea by the traffic department and hopefully we'll start to see some improvement in a few months. We hear you!

National App Competition - 

We've got the first of the 100 ideas already in motion. Modesto has agreed to help support our community's involvement in the National App Competition that will encourage youth in our community to design apps for mobile phones and computers. The winner will be invited to Washington DC to meet other designers, a truly life changing experience. I am thrilled that we are already doing more to support STEAM education in Modesto. This event will launch in the spring or fall of 2021 so STAY TUNED.  More information can be found here. https://www.congressionalappchallenge.us/

MJC Residential Parking Permits - 

Rod wrote me a couple weeks ago asking if the city was going to renew the residential parking permit program around MJC post covid. Good question, Rod. I spoke with the coordinator for the program and I was assured that the permits will return with the students. Thanks for getting in touch!

Woodland West Meeting -

Met with Woodland West Neighborhood group and we discussed the new 132 extension, repairs to the play yard, and several crime related issues. 

COVID19 - 

Stay safe out there, stay home if you can, wear a mask, and support local businesses by doing things like ordering take out! The pandemic has created so much strain and stress. My wife and I both had to completely shutter our businesses in March and find jobs. I get it. It sucks for all of us. Hang in there, the vaccines are coming...

Happy Holidays District 3, and please have a merry and safe Christmas.

Please contact me if you need anything or have questions.

Chris Ricci
Modesto City Council District 3
P-209-799-7647