Council urges final public input as budget adoption nears; staff member Juanita Menig recognized

Carmel-by-the-Sea — Council members reminded residents that the city’s annual budget, including the capital improvement program (CIP), is scheduled for adoption at the council meeting on Tuesday and encouraged public participation in the final review.

Speakers said the city held a budget workshop and has received “over 40” public questions during the outreach period, a level of engagement city officials described as higher than in past years. Council members emphasized that the upcoming meeting is the last opportunity for public comment before adoption; they asked residents to review the proposed budget and offer feedback.

One council member noted the workshop and earlier outreach were intended to make the budget process meaningful and to solicit real questions from the community rather than prewritten prompts.

Separately, the council recognized Juanita Menig on what officials said was her final day with the city. A speaker described Menig as “the lady when you come into City Hall that says, how can I provide excellent service,” and thanked her for her years of service. The meeting record notes Menig is local and that council members expected to see her in the community going forward; Menig’s official title or department was not specified in the record.

The council also highlighted a community event tied to the week’s culinary programming: “Pancakes with the PD,” described as a free police-department breakfast event that organizers said is scheduled for the morning after the culinary-week kickoff. Commander Treuer of the police department was mentioned as sponsoring that event.

No formal motions, votes or budget changes were recorded in the segment of the meeting captured in the transcript; the record supplied reminders and announcements but did not document a formal adoption or vote.