The Ripon City Council recently gave the go-ahead for staff to administer the second installment of the Poet Laureate grant money to the Ripon Arts League.

This was in accordance with agreement from the funding source – Library & Literacy for San Joaquin County, which isa philanthropic organization administered by the SJC Foundation, for the poet laureate program.

Emil Guillermo was announced as the first-ever poet laureate for the City of Ripon, with Suzanne Fisher of the Ripon Arts League providing the introduction at the Nov. 12 meeting.

Since that time, Guillermo has shared his thoughts and ideas to the community and elected leaders, including his “Ode to the Central Valley Almond Tree,” as inspired by a visit to the East Coast.

He’s scheduled to do readings at the Ripon Farmers Market on July 10 and Aug. 7, and also be involved in the poetry workshop at the Ripon Memorial Library on Thursday, June 26, beginning at 4 p.m. The public is invited to attend these events.

The grant, meanwhile, provides at total of $15,000 of funding over the next three years to the City to help establish the program.

No discussion was necessary by Council members, who went with the Ripon Arts League’s request to administer the second of the three installments for the program at $5,000.