A dispute over a youth baseball contract in Ceres has expanded into broader concerns about children’s programs, following a contentious city council meeting in which residents spoke out and the city manager announced his resignation.
The meeting, held on Monday, came days after a physical altercation between a city employee and leaders of Ceres Youth Baseball was captured on video and circulated online.
During public comment, multiple residents urged city leaders to prioritize youth programs, warning that resources for children in the city are already limited.
“Our youth in Ceres already has a hard time with things to do, and protecting our youth organizations is essential,” said resident Gary Condit, who ran against Mayor Javier Lopez in the last election.
At the center of the dispute is a contract between the city and Ceres Youth Baseball, a nonprofit that has operated locally for more than 50 years. League leaders have said the city is attempting to bring in a for-profit organization to use the same fields — a move they argue could impact funding and operations.
Mayor Lopez said the situation is under review by a third party and declined to provide further details.
“It is an open investigation on not just the video that was uploaded, but also other matters,” Lopez said during Monday’s meeting.
During that same meeting, City Manager Doug Dunford announced his resignation, citing a family emergency. Lopez said the decision was unrelated to the baseball dispute.
Separately, concerns have grown over other youth programs in the city. Residents pointed to the cancellation of this year’s aquatic program, which the city’s recreation department attributed to budget constraints.
“They also are on the verge of eliminating the swim program due to budget constraints,” Condit said.
Ceres Youth Baseball leaders say the loss of programs like swimming highlights a larger issue.
“My older two kids learned to swim here… now my youngest one cannot do it,” said league president Jorge Guerrero. “So what’s going to happen with baseball?”
City officials have not taken final action on the baseball contract. League leaders say they plan to continue voicing their concerns at future meetings.