Seaside commission asks staff to formalize recognition and presentation processes, seeks earlier TOT timeline

The Neighborhood Improvement Commission asked city staff to develop written recommendations to clarify eligibility and the selection process for the commission’s House of the Month and Business recognition programs. Chair and commissioners noted the commission has not consistently managed these recognitions and asked staff to bring back a process that can be agendized and adopted by vote.

Jeradolfo Gonzalez, the city staff liaison, told the commission, "Staff will come back with a written recommendation on a process that can be voted on." Commissioners raised privacy concerns about commissioners taking photographs of private homes; one commissioner said staff had taken photographs in the past and recommended staff continue that practice or consider alternatives.

Commissioners also discussed the process for collecting presentations from other commissions for next fiscal-year proposals and the timeline for TOT (Transient Occupancy Tax) funding requests. Commissioner Tiffany Meyer requested that presentations begin in August, run through September, that the commission vote in October and that the commission present recommendations to city council in November or December. Staff said the city will hold budget study sessions on June 12–13 (viewable by Zoom) and that later in July the commission can agendize a timeline and decide whether to hold special meetings or consolidate presentations.

In staff reports, Gonzalez said benches ordered for "General Jim Moore" are expected to arrive at the end of the month; bids for the Olde Myers/Oldenmire Center mural close June 20 at 5 p.m.; and a different muralist will begin painting in mid-June with an expected one-week completion. Utility box wrap submissions have been narrowed to a top group and will be finalized at a follow-up meeting.

The commission agreed to discuss the presentation-notification process at its July meeting and to consider either email/social-media outreach or a special meeting to receive multiple presentations at once.