What's at stake?
Two candidates have already announced plans to run to replace outgoing Councilmember Luis Chavez now that he’s moving to the Fresno County Board of Supervisors.
In its last regular meeting of 2024, the Fresno City Council laid the groundwork for 2025 that will ring in an overhaul of the city’s legislature, including a special election, at least one political newcomer on the dais and a new process for choosing its leadership roles.
Thursday marked Councilmember Luis Chavez’s last regular meeting representing District 5 on the council, following his election to the Fresno County Board of Supervisors.
The council passed a resolution calling for a special election to fill the vacancy March 18, and two candidates have already thrown their hat in the ring – including Chavez’s wife.
Thursday’s meeting was also one of the last for Councilmember Garry Bredefeld, who termed out this year and is leaving the District 6 seat for one on the Fresno County Board of Supervisors alongside Chavez in January.
Nick Richardson, a first-time politician, will take office in January to replace Bredefeld on the council. He won the race for the D6 seat in one of Fresno County’s most hotly contested elections on the ballot this November, overtaking his better-funded, establishment-backed opponent, Roger Bonakdar.
This month also marked the last for the council’s current president and vice president before a new crop of leaders takes over in 2025 – but the council on Thursday voted to change the rules for selecting those leaders going forward, starting in 2026.
Shakeups to the Fresno City Council
With Chavez leaving the council next month, contenders are already lining up to take over the D5 seat.
His wife, Elizabeth Jonasson Rosas, a current Fresno Unified trustee, announced her plans to run for her husband’s seat in a news release Dec. 4.
Jonasson Rosas just won reelection to the school board in November, easily overtaking 19-year-old challenger Joseph Aquino.
Another candidate, Jose Leon-Barraza, has also declared his intention to run in a news release Dec. 11.
Barraza is the CEO of the Southeast Fresno Community Economic Development Association. He also serves on the Fresno Parks, Recreation and Arts Commission.
In another move shaking up power dynamics, the city council changed its rules for selecting a council president and vice president.
Rather than an annual rotation in order of council district, the council will return to an old process of electing the council president and vice president starting in 2026.
Multiple councilmembers voiced support for the change Thursday.
“I’ve always thought that leadership is something that ought to be earned and not just given over automatically,” said Councilmember Nelson Esparza.
Changes to these rules have ruffled councilmembers’ feathers in recent years, however.
In December 2020, the council changed the rules that allowed them to deviate from the rotation by a majority vote – and then used the amendment in January 2021 to pass over Bredefeld in the rotation.
Bredefeld saw the rule change and subsequent vote as retribution from his colleagues as the lone conservative on council, The Fresno Bee reported.
The change to the rules won’t take effect until 2026, allowing current Council Vice President Mike Karbassi to serve his term as president in 2025, and Councilmember Miguel Arias to serve as vice president.
Council OK’s $1 million for temporary housing
The Fresno City Council also voted Thursday to approve over $1.1 million in funding for RH Community Builders to manage temporary supportive housing units for young people ages 18 to 24 experiencing homelessness.
The Project Homekey site, located in the former San Joaquin Hotel on Shaw Avenue, is supposed to eventually hold 69 units, RH Community Builders’ Executive Director Katie Wilbur said Thursday.
The city funding will support 25 of these housing units, which qualifying tenants can occupy for up to 18 months. The units are intended to primarily support Fresno City College students experiencing homelessness.
The developer is still waiting on funding support from State Center Community College District, however, for the remaining 44 units.
Fresno City College had originally agreed to support the project but “had a hiccup” in their ability to deliver on that promise, said Phil Skei, Fresno’s assistant director of the Planning & Development Department.
“We’ve both confirmed with Fresno City College that they have resolved that matter, and they are prepared now to recommit themselves to the project,” Skei said in response to a question about State Center’s role from Arias.
State Center could not immediately be reached for comment on Friday.
The council also voted to approve a resolution directing the City Attorney’s Office to enforce the city’s new ordinances and programs related to both wage theft and sidewalk vending without requesting vendors or victims’ immigration status.
Bredefeld was the lone councilmember to register a “no” vote against the consent agenda item that passed without further discussion from the council.
