As Mayor Rachel Hernandez took the stage, residents of Riverbank – The City of Action – listened intently to learn about ongoing projects, future development and updates on current events. The Community Center was filled to capacity with school district employees, city employees, members of the Stanislaus Consolidated Fire Protection District, representatives from Stanislaus County including District 1 Supervisor Buck Condit, and many community members in attendance.
Hernandez reminded the crowd that though she is fairly new to the Mayoral office, she has served the city as a council member and been involved with local government for more than five years now and she is eagerly anticipating the future.
“You are the action behind every decision this city makes,” Hernandez shared as she provided updates on various projects including: street repairs, safety concerns, accessibility to clean water and clean energy, Crossroads West Shopping Center Development and the addition of new restaurants including Kinfolks in downtown Riverbank.
Mayor Hernandez also provided some statistics regarding public safety noting that violent crime has significantly decreased over the past couple of years with more than 60 violent crimes reported in 2024 which decreased to half that number the following year with less than 30 violent crimes reported in 2025. Thanking Community Resource Deputy Alex Tovar, who provides community outreach and fosters relationships with schools and various residents, Hernandez went on to acknowledge the efforts of Tovar’s colleagues within the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office as well. Hernandez emphasized the importance of safety and expressed her gratitude to all of the first responders including the Stanislaus Consolidated Fire Protection District.
She provided highlights regarding Sierra House, the organization that provides programs for unhoused individuals as well as a day use facility. During the last year, Sierra House provided more than 2500 meals to unhoused folks in the community while also hosting more than 60 men in their transitional program which focuses on life skills, employment readiness and clean living.
The Parks and Recreation Department received kudos for their development and implementation of many new programs including: Youth Soccer Program, Little Adventurers Program, Polar Bear Plunge, Food Truck Fridays and many more.
“Michael (Director Michael Patton) and his team in Parks and Recreation have done an amazing job of creating fun, engaging programs for our community,” said Hernandez as she shared that the city has approved funding for two additional parks which will host a multitude of family friendly events. Hernandez encouraged folks to subscribe to the Parks and Recreation Newsletter that the Parks and Rec team created to ensure that residents could stay informed about all future activities coming to The City of Action.
The Mayor also provided updates on some of the new additions that will be coming to Crossroads West from retail stores like Trader Joes and Skechers to the new Sutter Health Clinic which is scheduled to open its doors in late July.
“Growth is visible and we know that there are concerns regarding bike and pedestrian paths to increased traffic and we are working on how to address those concerns,” said Hernandez.
She went on to note that the tiny homes that have been built behind the Bridge Covenant Church are ready to welcome their tenants, with priority given to single mothers with children that are experiencing exigent circumstances.
As Mayor Hernandez wrapped up, she highlighted that a big part of Riverbank’s allure is the way that people care for each other.
“We are here to build relationships through understanding and trust. Transparency is a must because this community deserves a government they can trust,” said Hernandez.
As she expressed her gratitude to the community once again, she also reminded everyone to attend community events from city council meetings to family friendly events, to show up and speak up so that collaboration between the governing officials and the citizens could be even more productive and helpful in the future.
