Council reorganizes committees, restores mayor appointment power and sets new schedule for police advisory and oversight panels

The Salinas City Council on May 6 approved a package of changes to its commissions, committees and boards, replaced several ad hoc panels, restored the mayor’s authority to make annual committee appointments, and set a standing meeting cadence for oversight bodies including the Police Community Advisory Committee (PCAC) and the Measure E and Measure G oversight committees.

Council action and scope: Staff presented a review of standing and ad hoc committees and recommended discontinuing several ad hoc panels that had not met or whose functions had been incorporated into departmental work (staff recommended discontinuing the fireworks subcommittee, litter & debris subcommittee, EMS Greater Salinas Regional Council participation and the car club subcommittee). The council adopted a motion reflecting a refined list of committees to discontinue, retained others and renamed the city charter and decorum subcommittee to the Decorum Subcommittee. After a separate motion, the council also restored the mayor’s authority to make the annual appointments to committees and boards (the mayor will continue to make appointments under Salinas Municipal Code direction).

PCAC and oversight meeting schedule: Council then considered PCAC and the two sales‑tax oversight committees. The council approved a motion setting a regular schedule for the measure‑specific oversight committees (Measure E and Measure G oversight) on a quarterly basis and adopted a motion to make PCAC appointments at‑large (rather than strictly by district) and to meet on a monthly schedule for improved continuity and engagement. The council also directed staff to study commissioner compensation and to review meeting start times to improve accessibility, and instructed staff to return with policy options if consolidation of the Measure E and Measure G oversight committees is legally permissible.

Public comment and Rodeo oversight debate: The discussion drew multiple public speakers who urged retaining oversight for the Salinas Sports Complex (Rodeo oversight committee) to protect transparency, fees and public access. Community members said the oversight committee has historically provided a public forum to review charges and access to the complex; others noted the city manager and staff can address lease compliance absent a subcommittee. The council left the Rodeo oversight structure in place while directing staff to ensure leases and records remain available to the city and public as required by the lease and municipal code.

Votes at a glance: Council voted to approve the committee reorganization package, restore the mayor’s appointment authority, and adopt meeting frequency and appointment rules for PCAC and oversight committees by recorded roll‑call votes.