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Livingston Mayor Jose Moran on winning his race by just nine votes and plans for the city in 2025
Livingston mayor
Livingston Mayor Jose Moran (Photo contributed).
Published: Dec 24, 2024, 6:25 PM

BY CHRISTIAN DE JESUS BETANCOURT

CV Journalism Collaborative

In a race decided by just nine votes this month, Jose Moran was re-elected as mayor of Livingston – a razor-thin victory in a city with a population of less than 15,000 people. 

Moran’s win over Councilmember Jason Roth highlighted the fierce political competition in Livingston, a city known for its sweet potato festival and for being the headquarters for poultry giant Foster Farms.

Nearly 4,000 ballots were cast in the race, with Moran receiving 1,475 votes to edge out Roth’s 1,466. Councilmember Maria Soto trailed behind with 1,046 votes.

Moran’s re-election extends his leadership for another two years, allowing him to address key challenges such as public safety, fire protection and economic growth. 

As Merced County’s only Latino mayor, he also embodies the region’s shifting demographics and the push for more diverse leadership in local government. 

With the narrow win behind him, Moran’s next term will be marked by efforts to bridge divides and confront Livingston’s most pressing issues.

Those challenges include strengthening public safety and addressing the potential closure of a Cal Fire station that prompted the Livingston City Council to consider suing Merced County. 

Moran also will face questions about how he plans to bolster local economic development and address the needs of Livingston’s growing Latino population, which makes up a significant portion of the city’s 14,643 residents.

An immigrant from Zacatecas, Mexico, Moran’s story is one of persistence, growth, and commitment to public service. 

His journey began at age 12 when he and his family arrived in California. He spent his formative years in Gustine, Newman, and Los Baños before graduating from James Logan High School in Union City.

His career path followed that same spirit of service, focusing on education and community development. He became an English language development teacher and curriculum developer for Madera Unified School District, where he now serves as an ELD department site lead. 

His first foray into local politics came in 2020 when he was elected to the Livingston City Council. Two years later, he became mayor. 

Moran’s position as the only Latino mayor in Merced County adds significance to his re-election. 

In a region where Latino residents account for 71% of the population, his re-election reflects progress toward greater local government representation. 

His next two years in office will test his ability to meet the demands of a growing city, build community trust, and deliver on the priorities that matter most to Livingston’s residents.

Here’s what he had to say about his vision for Livingston’s future. This conversation has been lightly edited for clarity.

With a victory margin of just nine votes, what does this outcome say about Livingston’s electorate and the dynamics of this race? 

I was not expecting it to be that close. I had different expectations. We need to figure out what it was that we needed to change. At the end of the day, it’s when we realize that every vote counts. 

I think that we have always been concerned about the Latino population being very conservative about voting. Normally, within the Latino population, we see about 20-30% of the registered voters voting. There are roughly about 6,600 registered voters out of the 15,000 in the population. Sixty to 70% of the population in Livingston are Latinos. 

As the only Latino mayor in Merced County, how do you see your role in representing not only Livingston but also the broader Latino community? 

I had not thought about that, and I had to realize that I’m the only elected or current Latino mayor in the county of Merced. I think it’s a bigger responsibility, not only for me in Livingston but really for the broader Merced County, to be able to have a voice for the Latino population and to be able to best represent them.

I don’t think our responsibility should be to represent every (Latino). But then, seeing things from a different perspective, it does bring more of a responsibility to make sure that I am a role model for those coming behind me.

What advice would you give to young Latinos in Merced County who aspire to leadership roles in government? 

I would encourage them. I have two kids, they’re 22 and 20, and I think indirectly, I have been showing them to have some type of leadership in whatever role they get or they’re working. 

I think it’s important to make sure that we keep on encouraging new votes, new voices, young men and women in the community, to make sure that they participate. Like we have heard before, if you’re not at the table, you’re probably part of the menu. 

Livingston has faced challenges with its police department leadership. What are your plans to rebuild trust and improve public safety? 

When I was canvassing in 2020, I think that was a big concern coming from the residents and sharing their distrust in the police department. I think that has changed. I mean, it’s not completely done, but I think the residents are feeling more comfortable. 

We just appointed a new chief of police about two months ago. I think that the difference from two or three years ago is that much different (now). There’s more trust not only in City Hall – in the city itself, city employees – but also the big, bigger trust in our police department.

Please recap what’s been happening with the closure of the Cal Fire station and what plans you have to make sure there’s fire protection for the residents of Livingston?

We subcontract Cal Fire through Merced County. The county was making some rearrangements, and they were planning on consolidating their fire stations. They were planning on closing down Station 96 in the city of Livingston. 

We have an agreement in place that has already been approved by the City Council in Livingston. Now it just needs to be finalized with the county in regards to an 18-month contract to extend that contract beyond December 31, when it was scheduled for them to close down the fire station. 

(Editor’s note: Since the time of this interview, the Merced County Board of Supervisors approved the MOU with the city of Livingston to provide stop-gap fire service.)

In the next 18 months, we, as the city of Livingston, need to finish coordinating a plan to have our own fire department. And this last November, the city of Livingston residents approved a measure to increase a 1% sales tax.

…Also part of my goals has been the need for a second fire station, and so I’ve been working on that. Obviously it’s not going to get done in the next few years, but I need to do whatever I can to make sure that (plan) stays in place so it can be built within the next five years or so. 

What strategies will you focus on to attract businesses and strengthen the city’s economy in your next term? 

Every city needs additional businesses to come into their communities because that’s how we produce or create more tax revenue and more employment for local residents.

That is something that, once we have moved away from dealing with all the previous issues, that we need to put a bigger emphasis on – attracting more business, not only to create a broader tax base, but also to create additional jobs. 

…I need to continue a conversation with our city manager to see what strategies we’re going to put in place to be able to efficiently attract businesses to come into Livingston. 

How do you plan to address the needs of Livingston’s youth and families, particularly regarding recreation? 

I’m a full-time educator. My wife has been in education for 23 years. We have always been involved in education, and we believe in the youth, in creating a well-rounded citizen who can eventually do well and take care of our cities and our planet. 

I have always been a big advocate of recreation. 

At one time, probably in 2019, there were plans with the council at that time to get rid of the recreation department, which was an incredibly wrong way of looking at things. But fortunately, with the support of residents who were advocating to keep the recreation department (it remained open). 

I think having a recreation department is huge for any community. That way, we can create programs for our youth to be able to be involved and not be out on the street tagging and vandalizing and doing bad things. 

Recreation is very important right now. I think we have a very successful program in the city of Livingston. We service roughly over 800 kids, and (the program is) attractive enough to even pull kids from outside of Livingston, which tells us that we’re doing something right.

We’re in the process of building and breaking ground on a recreation complex, which should (happen) in the next few months. We’ve been big advocates of recreation, and I’m hoping to look for additional support to build more soccer fields for the community.

How do you plan to honor Livingston’s cultural heritage while addressing the needs of its evolving population? 

Through our recreation department, I think we have a big opportunity for us to learn more about our different populations. We have folklórico dance groups. We have a Punjabi dance group that is open to the residents and to the youth in the community. 

In the city of Livingston, if you drive around town, you’ll be able to see what we call the bigger-than-life statues. Those have been made with that in mind so that not only visitors, but residents can see themselves reflected in the things that we do around the community. 

Throughout the years we have, we do different activities that represent and resemble our different communities.

How do you plan to work with county and state officials, such as Sen. Anna Caballero and Assemblymember Esmeralda Soria, to further Livingston’s interests? 

Within the last few years since I’ve been mayor, we’re thankful that Senator Caballero, Assemblymember Soria, and Congressman John Duarte have visited. I have worked with all of them for the last two years.

I think that for the first time, we had more state and elected officials visit the city of Livingston than we have had in the past. And I’m very grateful to say that we have always had great communication, not only with them, with the elected representatives, but also with their offices.

They’ve been instrumental in furthering some of the projects that we have in Livingston this year. Senator Caballero was able to allocate $1 million for some of our water projects. We’re currently working with the office of Esmeralda (Soria) to help us with some other projects that are related to water infrastructure.

With current Congressman John Duarte, we have been working on some other projects and ideas about how to deal with water infrastructure. And I hope that we can continue that conversation and communication with incoming Congressman Adam Gray’s office.

Where do you see Livingston in the next two years, and how do you plan to make that vision a reality? 

I think Livingston is very unique, but at the same time, it’s like every other city. In order for us to do anything, it’s all about money. It’s all about funding. I wish I could see Livingston where we have a revitalized downtown, where we can have more and more stores. 

We have planned that in the next five years, we’re going to have a truck stop in Livingston. We want to hopefully have more housing, affordable housing, available in Livingston and continue improving on our safety, not only PD, but also the fire department.

I really hope that I can leave a program in place for the city to be able to build our second fire station, and then just continue making it an (attractive) place for people to live. 

We’re close to Merced. We’re close to Modesto. We’re an hour and a half from Yosemite, an hour and a half from the Bay Area. I just hope to continue doing more than we’ve been able to do to continue attracting people to come to our community.

Anything else you would like to add?

For those who are going to be reading this and have not been to the city of Livingston, I invite them to come over and just drive by and drop through the city of Livingston. 

We have some great Punjabi restaurants. We have some great Mexican food. We have great things to see.
New subdivision in Hilmar approved despite opposition
Hilmar housing subdivision
A map shows the land parcels where a proposed subdivision, called Shevlin Place, will be built in Hilmar.
Published: Mar 15, 2025, 5:59 AM

BY BRIANNA VACCARI

CV Journalism Collaborative

Despite staunch opposition from residents, the Merced County Board of Supervisors gave the green light for another new subdivision in Hilmar.

The board considered an appeal of a prior planning commission decision on Tuesday during its regular meeting. Ultimately, the board affirmed the planning commission’s approval of the project on a 4-1 vote, with Supervisor Lloyd Pareira, who represents Hilmar, casting the lone no vote.

Half a dozen Hilmar residents drove the 30 minutes to Merced to register their opposition to the project. They voiced concerns over traffic, water supply and strategic planning decisions.

For the majority of the supervisors, the issue came down to property rights. 

“I understand the need to make sure we’re planning in a good way and the county is developing in a positive way,” Board Chair Josh Pedrozo said. “Yes, there’s going to be some hiccups, but I think this company who has submitted the plan … has listened to everybody, has taken a lot of time to do it the right way, based upon the county’s recommendation.

“I can’t, in good faith, vote against this project,” he said.

Supervisor Daron McDaniel said he worried that since the developers met all of the county’s requirements, denying the project may expose the county to legal action.

The 136-home project, called Shevlin Place, will include a pocket park, walking trail and drainage basin on about 33 acres of land, south of Hilmar and Irwin high schools and a new elementary school. Homebuilder Mike Wadsworth is behind the project.

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The site of the project, located near the intersection of West Geer and North Lander avenues, previously was an orchard and has been fallow for several years, county documents show. About a half dozen homes, outbuildings and a storage company remain on Geer Avenue directly north of the project site.

The unincorporated town of Hilmar is home to just over 5,000 people, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Known locally as a dairy town with deep Portuguese roots, there’s a growing population of Latino residents as well.

 

Traffic and water concerns

Hilmar resident Danny Coder filed the appeal that the board of supervisors weighed Tuesday. 

Public records show Coder lives in one of the homes right by the project location and likely will be directly affected by construction and the resulting neighborhood.

Coder was unable to attend Tuesday’s public hearing because he got called to work, according to another Hilmar resident who spoke on his behalf during the hearing. In his appeal, Coder outlined his concerns with the project as well as possible solutions.

The main concern cited by residents and the supervisors alike is the vehicle traffic the new development will add to an area of town that’s already notorious for traffic congestion.

Outside of Hilmar, Lander Avenue turns into state Highway 165, which is managed by Caltrans. 

The intersection of Lander and Geer avenues  is located near a Hilmar Unified School District compound that includes the newly-opened Hilmar Elementary, Irwin High, Hilmar Middle and Hilmar High schools, Elim Elementary and its associated Head Start program.

During the hearing, Supervisor Pareira said he has seen firsthand the existing traffic congestion at the intersection.

On Lander Avenue, drivers sometimes will use a turn lane as a passing lane to bypass bottlenecked traffic, Pareira said. Other Hilmar residents described the staggered school schedules that create nonstop pickup and dropoff traffic around the various schools.

“What the public comment is saying about the school traffic is – I don’t even think they’re explaining it to the degree that it is,” Pareira said.

“It’s just unreal,” he said, later adding, “It’s a mess out there.”

Although a traffic study was conducted for the project as part of the environmental review process, Coder and others called it flawed and called for a new one to be done that considers school operations within its peak hour analysis.

However, Merced County planning staff said the study did include school drop-off times, and in the end the study found the project met “safe circulation” standards set by Caltrans and county planning.

County staff also confirmed Caltrans is planning to install a traffic signal at the intersection of Lander and Geer avenues around 2028 or 2029. After eventually being called to speak, Wadsworth told the board the traffic signal likely will already be installed by the time the first house goes up for sale, considering permitting and engineering plans may push construction out a year or two still.

Coder in his appeal, along with other Hilmar residents, also voiced concerns about the Hilmar County Water District’s ability to provide water for the new subdivision, citing lack of supply and adequate infrastructure.

Other residents also voiced concerns about the water district’s supply for the several new subdivisions coming to town, saying the district cited supply issues in the past. Residents also mentioned failed wells in the community. 

County staff said the water issue is outside of the county’s jurisdiction, but the small water district signed a “can and will service” letter for the project and a legal acknowledgement that it has capacity for the new community.

If it turns out Hilmar County Water District does not have capacity to serve the new development, “then it doesn’t get built,” said Tiffany Ho, Merced County’s deputy planning director.

 

Residents say they want ‘responsible growth’

Hilmar residents urged the board to carefully consider residents’ concerns before approving the project.

Crystal Casey, an active Hilmar resident who also serves as a member of the Hilmar-Stevinson Municipal Advisory Council (MAC), said nearly everyone in town she’s talked to opposes the project.

“It’s important to note that Hilmar is not against growth. We are advocates for responsible growth,” Casey told the board of supervisors. “We actually have already voted in favor of two subdivisions. …

“The residents of Hilmar are very clear in their vision of the community. They do not want large subdivisions built south of the school,” Casey said.

Casey and other residents criticized the Hilmar community plan – a county planning document that charts future growth – as 20 years old and outdated. She said the Hilmar MAC has requested an updated plan many times.

On the other hand, Wadsworth said that years ago, the community asked for development west of Lander so children wouldn’t have to cross the road to get to school. That’s why the property was zoned as residential, noting it’s taken over three decades for the project to get to this point.

County staff estimate construction on the development will begin around 2028.