The Regular City Council Meeting for the City of Soledad took place on April 3, 2024, focusing on financial updates and staffing challenges within the city departments.

The meeting began with a report from the finance department, highlighting a significant achievement: the department has transitioned from being a cost center to a revenue-generating entity. In the calendar year 2023, the finance department successfully brought in $1.8 million in interest earnings, benefiting various city funds, including the general fund and capital reserves. The finance director explained the strategy behind this success, which involves daily management of funds to maximize interest earnings. This proactive approach allows the city to take advantage of current high-interest rates, although the sustainability of this revenue stream remains uncertain.

Additionally, the council discussed staffing issues, particularly within the engineering department, where key positions have remained unfilled for over two years. The city is seeking flexibility in hiring by proposing to allow for the recruitment of different engineering roles without increasing the overall headcount. This approach aims to address the pressing need for skilled personnel while maintaining budgetary constraints. The council emphasized that this request would not have a financial impact, as the alternative positions would be at a lower pay scale than the currently budgeted engineering roles.

Public participation was encouraged, but no comments were made from attendees in the chamber. A technical issue arose with a participant attempting to join the discussion via YouTube, highlighting the challenges of remote engagement in city meetings.

Overall, the meeting underscored the city’s financial progress and the ongoing efforts to fill critical positions within the public works department, setting the stage for future discussions on budget allocations and staffing strategies.