The Modesto City Council is the seven-member elected body that governs the City of Modesto, California, made up of a mayor elected citywide and six council members elected by district.1Modesto, CA. About the City Council2Modesto, CA. City Council3Modesto, CA. Meeting Information
Who Sits on the Council
The council has seven members. Six represent individual geographic districts across the city, and the mayor is the only member elected by voters citywide. All serve four-year terms, with a two-term limit. Terms are staggered so they expire in alternating odd-numbered years, which means no more than four seats appear on the ballot in any single election.1Modesto, CA. About the City Council
The job is treated as part-time. As of 2024, council members earn $2,500 per month, or $30,000 a year, and the mayor earns $4,500 per month, or $54,000 a year. The mayor’s salary is capped by the city charter at 50 percent of a Stanislaus County Superior Court judge’s salary. A council member’s monthly pay is reduced by one-quarter for every regular meeting missed without being on official city business.4Modesto, CA. City Council Compensation and Reimbursement
What the Council Decides
Modesto uses a council-manager form of government. Elected members handle the legislative side: adopting ordinances, setting tax rates, and approving budgets. They also appoint and oversee three key officials — the City Manager, who runs daily operations and directs municipal staff; the City Attorney, who provides legal advice; and the City Clerk, who manages official records and meeting procedures.1Modesto, CA. About the City Council
The council also names citizen volunteers to more than 26 advisory boards, committees, and commissions covering areas such as parks and recreation, planning, and housing. Those bodies advise the council, but final decisions rest with the elected members. The mayor presides over meetings and represents the city at public and intergovernmental events, and does not hold veto power over council votes.
When and Where Meetings Happen
Regular meetings start at 5:30 p.m. on the first, second, and fourth Tuesday of each month. They take place in the City Council Chambers at Tenth Street Place, 1010 10th Street, on the lower level of the building in downtown Modesto.3Modesto, CA. Meeting Information Special meetings can be called separately; by state law, the council may only discuss items listed on the special-meeting notice, and the public still has the right to comment on each item before any vote.5California Attorney General. The Brown Act: Open Meetings for Legislative Bodies
How to Speak at a Meeting
If you want to address the council on an agenda item, pick up a blue speaker card in the foyer outside the chambers before the meeting starts. Fill it out and hand it to the City Clerk, who passes it to the mayor. When your item is called, the mayor will call you to the podium by name, where you state your name and address and then make your comments.6Modesto, CA. Frequently Asked Questions
The council sets time limits for individual speakers, and a traffic-light timer at the podium tracks your time. Keep your remarks concise; once your time ends, you return to your seat. To raise something that isn’t on the night’s agenda, use general public comment at the beginning of the meeting. Submitting a speaker card is the step most people miss.
How to Get an Item on a Future Agenda
To request that a topic be placed on a future agenda as a formal item, submit a written request to the City Clerk by 5:00 p.m. on the Wednesday before the meeting date you’re aiming for. Include the meeting date, a brief description of the issue, any supporting materials, and your contact information.6Modesto, CA. Frequently Asked Questions
How to Watch Remotely
Regular meetings are televised live on Comcast channel 7 and streamed online through the city’s Agendas, Minutes, and Videos page, where recordings are archived afterward. Zoom is also available for live viewing, with Wordly translation for non-English speakers.3Modesto, CA. Meeting Information These remote options are for watching only. Speaking during public comment still requires attending in person and submitting a speaker card.
Finding Agendas and Minutes
California’s Ralph M. Brown Act requires the agenda for a regular meeting to be posted at least 72 hours in advance.7California Legislative Information. California Code GOV 54954.2 For special meetings, the notice window is 24 hours.5California Attorney General. The Brown Act: Open Meetings for Legislative Bodies Modesto posts agendas, minutes, and meeting videos on its online legislative portal, and physical copies are available for inspection at the City Clerk’s office. To follow a specific issue across several meetings, the official minutes are the most reliable record because they capture each vote and any conditions the council attached to its approval. You can search the online archive by date or topic rather than watching full meetings.