City Councilman De Anda decides to step down

 

Merced City Councilman Ronnie De Anda announced he is stepping down from his position as the District 2 representative on the Merced City Council during emotional comments at the end of Monday night’s meeting.

The 84-year-old De Anda cited health complications as the reason he is stepping down. At recent meetings, this fall and over the summer, De Anda has shown brief signs that he was having difficulty hearing and following along with procedures. Mayor Matthew Serratto has had to speak up at times, or repeat directions while the Council waited for a vote or comments from De Anda.

On Monday night, a teary-eyed De Anda explained:

“Rumor has it that tonight is my last City Council meeting. It’s not a rumor, it’s true. And it comes about because this past year has not been very kind to [my wife] Blasa and myself. I injured my shoulder almost a year ago. We made arrangements to have it fixed, and shortly after, Blasa fell and broke her hip, a few months ago. The [doctor’s office] called me as we were ready to make an appointment for her surgery. And it stunned me, and at the same time, I said, I can’t do that. And the caller said, ‘What’s the problem?’ I said, ‘My wife broke her hip. Just a couple of days ago.’ … She got quiet, and she says, ‘You wait until your wife gets well, and then you call us back, and we’ll make an appointment.’ …

“Well I haven’t made that appointment yet. … I have to take care of her.”

At this point, DeAnda said he had already made up his mind not to run for reelection in 2026 due to the mounting health concerns. And then this happened:

“I did some lab work for the doctor last week, and he says, ‘I don’t see the report for your MRI on here.’

“And I say, ‘What MRI?’

“He said, ‘You didn’t get it.’

“I said, ‘No. I didn’t see it. I don’t have it. I didn’t get any notice of it.’

“And so we made arrangements to do the MRI. I did that just a couple of days ago. But before going, I asked the doctor, ‘Why do you need an MRI of my head?’

“And he says, ‘I think you had a mild stroke, somewhere along the line.’

“And I gave it some thought, and those of you who are here frequently, have actually heard me start to say something, and I can’t finish my thoughts. And I thought about that, and I said, ‘I must do this.’

“So the decision came down to: No … I have to drop out.”

De Anda has served since winning his first election in 2022 when he overwhelmed incumbent City Councilman Fernando Echevarria by receiving nearly 73 percent of the vote. Echevarria had been a central figure in multiple controversies that were brought to the Council during a notably chaotic time in local politics and society in general.

“You stepped up at a really critical time, I think, in 2022, when it wasn’t easy for you,” Mayor Serratto told De Anda on Monday night. “You stepped up and sacrificed because your city needed you. You ran a tough campaign and you won, I think, probably by a larger number than anyone up here has won by. It just showed what your community thought of you. You served the city with a vote that really stabilized this council.”

Councilman Shane Smith remarked: “If courage is doing what you have to do, despite what life is throwing at you, then my friend, you are one of the most courageous people I have ever met. I thank you for standing up for District 2, South Merced, and for all of Merced. “

De Anda has been a familiar face in Merced for decades, not only as a council member, but also as a longtime mail carrier for the U.S. Postal Service, delivering mail for 35 years throughout many neighborhoods in Merced.

“Serving District 2 has been the greatest honor of my life,” De Anda said. “From walking alongside residents in my postal route to working with families on local initiatives, this journey has been both humbling and inspiring.”

Since taking office, De Anda has championed the city’s youth, advocating for safe, engaging community spaces, and programs that uplift at-risk children and families. Perhaps De Anda was most happy with his persistence to help bring about the recent dedication of the South Station Police Department in the name of his old friend, the late Joe Cortez, who had served the city as a police commander and City Council member. De Anda was brought to tears on Monday night as he recounted being recognized for helping with that effort.

He also made a special mention of his wife, Blasa, and their 64 years of married life together.

What happens next?

Councilman De Anna’s resignation will be effective Oct. 31.

To ensure District 2 continues to have full representation, the City Council will have to follow the City Charter, and declare the seat vacancy on Nov. 3. From there, the Council has 30 days to appoint a qualified resident of the City of Merced to serve. If the Council does not make an appointment within 30 days, it must call a special election to fill the vacancy. The election may be conducted by mail ballot under the Charter.

Any appointed council member will serve until the first Tuesday following the next general municipal election. At that election, voters will choose a councilmember to serve the remainder of the unexpired term, if any.