Salinas Measure E oversight committee reviews revenue, staffing and library hours; approves minutes

The Salinas Measure E Oversight Committee on Jan. 15 received an unaudited finance report showing $6.2 million in Measure E receipts through October 2025 and discussed how those funds are being allocated across personnel, capital projects and library services.

Finance management analyst Yesenia Nunez told the committee that "we have received 6,200,000.0 or 36 percent in transactions and used tax revenue for the months of July through October 2025," and that the city projects total transaction and use tax revenue of about $17.2 million for FY2025–26. She said the benchmark for four months is 33 percent and that departments are generally "tracking on pace." Nunez also reported that 90.5 full‑time positions are funded by Measure E across library, police, recreation and fire departments.

Committee members pressed staff for more detailed breakdowns. One member asked for prior‑year comparisons and salary averages; Nunez said staff can provide prior‑year comparisons and pull a departmental salary report. Members also requested a clear carryover line item in future financials to track the roughly $9.3 million in carryover and to clarify a approximately $2.2 million difference between projected revenue and expenditures; staff agreed to include those line items and follow up with the requested detail.

The meeting also focused on capital improvement projects. Nunez said the current fiscal year includes about $1 million in Measure E funding for CIPs and that, for the District 5 recreation center project specifically, about $6.9 million was allocated from Measure E with the remaining balance expected from Measure G. She directed members to the staff report (page 4) for a department‑level CIP list.

Committee members probed a non‑departmental line item labelled "El Gavilan debt service." Staff explained the El Gavilan Library resulted from a public–private partnership; a nonprofit issued bonds to finance the project and the debt service payments are being made to that entity, with the city to own the property once payments are complete.

Library hours and outreach drew sustained attention. Staff said the El Gavilan branch is open Monday–Friday 10 a.m.–4 p.m., while Cesar Chavez and the other branch operate Tuesday–Saturday with some 12 p.m.–6 p.m. shifts. No branch currently remains open past 6 p.m.; staff said an on‑going survey (open for several months) is collecting resident input on preferred hours, and that results will inform recommendations in the coming months.

On public safety, the committee asked about the $1 million in personnel and training expenditures funded by Measure E. Police Chief Steve Acosta said Measure E supports both sworn and civilian positions and a range of training. "There's a variety of different training. It could be search and seizure. It could be de escalation tactics," Acosta said, and he reported 23 unsworn/civilian positions funded by Measure E. He also agreed to coordinate a police department tour for committee members.

Procedurally, the committee considered one consent item. Committee member Valenzuela moved to approve the minutes of Oct. 16, 2025; Committee member Ish seconded. The clerk recorded yes votes from Committee members Alvarado, Frigo (recorded in the transcript as "Frigozo"), Ish, Valenzuela and Vice Chair Hobby, and the motion passed.

Committee members proposed that small teams meet with finance staff between full meetings to review details and better understand where Measure E dollars are being spent. The committee asked staff to provide the requested salary breakdowns, a visible carryover line item, and a clarification of the $2.2 million difference in future reports. The committee will next meet on April 16, 2026.