W E I V R E T IN By Chris Murphy
By the time you read this, we will have a new mayor and we can see how the City of Modesto will move forward. We have had a lot of tough times over the last year so say the very least, but with every challenge, there is opportunity and a fresh point of view. I have known Chris Ricci for nearly 25 years. We met when were raising money to rebuild the Graceada Park Playground in 1998 when our friends at B93.1 offered to present a free concert fundraiser. Chris had been doing SummerFest and came down to do this show. After the show, we went to El Faro, and talked about how great Modesto was and Chris thought it would be good idea to bring his event company to town. A couple of Summerfests and Extreme Halloweens later, Xfest would be launched along with JCD Concepts in 2000 and a huge Modesto music festival tradition began. Over the years Chris has created many new events like LuckyFest and branched out into political consulting and became very active in Modesto politics. Chris lives with his wife Kim and two kids in the College area and was just recently elected to Modesto City Council. So let’s catch up with Chris Ricci. ModestoView: You grew up on the Bay Area, your dad was in tech so how did you finally decide to call Modesto home? Chris Ricci: My aunt and uncle lived in Modesto so I was familiar with it and always had a good time here. I enjoyed the people. When I wanted to launch an event company I decided on Modesto because there was so much support and opportunity here. That opportunity is still here and is just as easy to embrace as it was back in 1999. MV: Your events like SummerFest, X Fest, Taco Fest and Lucky Fest attracted people from all parts of Modesto, both musically and ethnically, how do you feel we are doing in bringing our community together today, pandemic not withstanding? CR: That’s really two questions, because the pandemic has really shown us how great our community is. SummerFest, X Fest, Taco Fest and Lucky Fest were unique in that they were designed to appeal to everyone and anyone. Before the pandemic, some really great things were starting to happen locally to
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It is a new day in Modesto Modesto
Chris Ricci bring people together and I’m hopeful that when it becomes safe again, people will get to creating again. This once in a generation pandemic has brought huge challenges to all communities nationwide and Modesto is no different. What is clear here is the goodness of Modestans has shown through the last year, even while struggling with hard realities. There is good work happening at all levels, and amazing partnerships have formed. I am legitimately proud of the work that we are doing to help the community through COVID-19. On the local business side, we had an open discussion at the Economic Development committee last week where we were able to invite local restaurant owners, the CVB, and members of the public to discuss ways that the City of Modesto could help get us through the remainder of the pandemic. The conversation was productive, bipartisan, and cooperative. We came up with two recommendations, including an ordinance to lower fees for delivery apps to 15% from their current 30% that is going to council for vote on Feb 2nd. It’s actions like this that will continue to bring our community together. We just need to keep reaching for great things and continue to cultivate projects and culture that appeal to the great diversity of our city.
MODESTO VIEW MAGAZINE
MV: How do we bring the different parts of our city together? CR: Our City is coming together now to deliver coronavirus vaccines in an incredibly impressive way, and they need volunteers. You can sign up online. While we hear about many cities having logistical trouble vaccinating people, Modesto has actually been doing really well. Stanislaus County was allocated approximately 34,000 doses for Healthcare workers and those over 65 and has done that in their Scenic clinic (now moved to Modesto Center Plaza) and then to Stanislaus State. You can also make a Pharmacy appointment. Frankly, that is a lot better than other places. My personal mission is move people into action through my 100 Ideas Campaign where I invite Modestans to choose a project that speaks to you and really lean in on it. That’s where the really interesting, fun and hard work is happening. By encouraging community members to get involved in something they are truly passionate about, we come together and gain so much. It’s all about creating opportunities for everyone to get involved. We all gain so much from the shared experience when we dig in together on what we care about. It’s that roll-up your sleeves and dig in work that really builds community. Chris. MV: You have been an active and engaged citizen creating events and excitement, so how do you feel being part of new leadership for Modesto’s future?
CR: Humbled and motivated by the opportunity, and excited to work with people one-on-one on the 100 Ideas Campaign. It turns out being a councilman and a producer require similar skill sets. It’s about building teams and excitement around ideas and finding new ways to solve old problems. There are so many ways we can build community, enjoy our city, and lift up areas and people that need it. We have a lot of untapped potential in our citizenry, and I’m looking to tap it. MV: Teamwork is so key for anything, how do we bring teamwork to the forefront in our community? CR: I think it starts by picking up the phone. If I have learned anything in my very limited time as a councilman it is that most people generally agree on most things. We need to have honest conversations and really make a commitment to listen and to compromise and to act with the same mutual purpose of helping Modesto tap into its potential. A lot of times though, it’s as simple as
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