by Mary Gadberry
January 4, 2024 – The Clovis City Council consists of five members, elected at-large rather than by district, for a four-year term. General municipal elections are held every two years, when there will be either two or three council positions up for renewal.
There are currently no term limits for Clovis City Council Members. After the election the five council members vote to elect a mayor and a mayor pro tem, each serving for two years.
Mayor Lynne Ashbeck has served on the Clovis City Council since March of 2001 in various capacities, and her third term as Mayor will end in November 2024.
Mayor Ashbeck currently holds two governor-appointed positions; as the chair on the Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission and as a member of the California Partnership for the San Joaquin Valley.
In addition, she is Vice-Chair of the Fresno County Transportation Association, and a member of both the Clovis Historical Society and the Community Justice Center at Fresno Pacific University.
Mayor Pro Tem Vong Mouanoutoua was first elected to the City Council in September of 2017. After moving to Clovis in 1996, he has participated in many service-related organizations, from cultural to educational to civic.
Mayor Pro Tem Mouanoutoua cares deeply about youth and has been involved in extracurricular activities at both his church and local schools, as well as being a member of the Hmong Educational Task Force and the Clovis Unified School District Southeast Asian Conference.
Councilmember Matt Basgall was no stranger to city government, after his nearly thirty-year career in law enforcement.
Rising through the ranks in the Clovis Police Department, Councilmember Basgall retired as Chief of Police and was then elected to the City Council in December 2022 with his term running through November 2026.
He also serves as Chair of the Men’s Leadership Council for Marjaree Mason Center and is passionate about community safety.
Councilmember Drew Bessinger, a retired Clovis Police Captain, was elected to the City Council in March 2017.
He is also a veteran of the United States Army, joining at age 18. His law enforcement background, both military and civilian, makes him determined to maintain Clovis’ current reputation as a safe and secure community.
Councilmember Bessinger’s term runs until November 2026.
Councilmember Diane Pearce manages her family entertainment company and has served on the Fresno County Civil Service Commission along with The City of Clovis Citizens’ Advisory Committee.
Councilmember Pearce studied International Relations and Political Science, graduating from UC Davis with a double major. She worked for Congressman George Radanovich from 2021 to 2022, and was elected to the council in December 2022 for a four-year term.
Clovis City Council meetings are held at 6:00 p.m. on the first, second, and third Mondays of each month unless such Monday is a legal holiday, in which event the meeting will be held on the next business day at 6:00 p.m. (Ordinance 09-24). (Quoted directly from cityofclovis.com)
There are opportunities for Clovis residents to provide input on certain areas, such as the Planning Commission, the Committee on Senior Activities Advisory Board, city representative to the Consolidated Mosquito Abatement District, or city representative to the Fresno Metropolitan Flood Control District.
For more information on these appointed positions, contact the City Manager’s office at 559-324-2060.