The council on Dec. 12 abandoned its rotational system and instead will vote for its president and vice president. The new rules take effect in 2026 — the same year Arias would have automatically become president.

Was the move made to bypass Arias? Several City Hall observers think so, although none went on the record.

“He had it coming,” said one City Hall insider. “His behavior is reckless.”

Arias often irks his colleagues. He tussles with the media, criticizes leaders from the dais, picks on staff, and places roadblocks in the path of projects.

In October, Arias accused a Fresno County supervisor of verbally abusing a high-level city leader during tax-sharing negotiations. Other councilmembers publicly contradicted Arias’ account.

Earlier this month, Arias appealed plans for Golden Charter Academy to open a new campus, citing safety concerns. The rest of the council disagreed and rejected his appeal. That may have been the last straw.

Arias — a city councilmember since 2019 and although he took the ceremonial oath prior to Nelson Esparza, the latter was actually sworn in by the city clerk first — supported the changes to the president selection process. He did not respond to a request to comment for this story.

Related Story: Fresno Council Changes Rules on Presidency, Vice Presidency

The council changed the rules on choosing board leadership in 2016 in an apparent targeting of Garry Bredefeld. The rotation system remained in place but added that the board could undo the  system with a majority vote. It also required a council president to serve as a councilmember in the preceding year.

Bredefeld never served as president after returning to the council eight years ago.

In February 2023, the council changed the rule back to a strict rotational system, removing the chance for a vote to upend the order.

The new leadership rules also allow for a president to serve multiple years — the prior rule allowed only one year. Changes also include a more exact way to determine seniority — mainly for selecting office space.

Southeast Fresno City Council Candidates Start Filing

Candidates have only three days to file to run in a Fresno City Council special election.

Wednesday was the first official day to file for the March 18, 2025 special election for District 5 representing southeast neighborhoods. The window closes at 5 p.m. on Friday.

Chavez, who won election to the Fresno County Board of Supervisors, submitted his council resignation effective Jan. 7, 2025.

Elizabeth Jonasson Rosas, a Fresno Unified school board trustee and wife of Chavez, filed to run for the District 5 seat.

So has Jose Leon Barraza, a member of the city’s parks commission, and president and CEO of the Southeast Fresno Community Economic Development Association. He finished third running for the seat in the 2018 primary.

Sanger Unified Trustee Brandon Vang, who lost to Chavez in 2022, 55% to 45%, confirms to Politics 101 he is running.

Paul Condon, who finished fourth in the four-person race in 2018, also pulled papers. He was charged with trespassing in 2017, but the case was dismissed. He pleaded no contest to a 2006 disorderly behavior charge.

If no candidate receives a majority vote on March 18, the top-two finishers will advance to a runoff election set by the council.

The councilmember salary is $111,320.

‘Undocumented Queer Immigrant’ Appointed to Immigration Committee

Fresno’s Immigration and Resident Affairs Committee has not met since February, with a string of five consecutive canceled meetings. Attaining a quorum has been an issue for the 15-member group.

Last week, the city council approved 7-0 on the consent agenda the appointment of Matias Bernal, nominated by Arias.

“As an undocumented queer immigrant, I am confident in my ability to offer valuable guidance on how the city can enhance its provision of responsive and culturally sensitive services to our immigrant community,” Bernal wrote on his application.

Bernal is the executive director of the Education & Leadership Foundation, a nonprofit “empowering underrepresented communities through immigration services, equitable educational opportunities, and social justice,” according to its website.

With Bernal’s appointment, the committee now has 11 members and four vacancies.