Salinas Historic Resources Board approves 16 Certificate of Appreciation nominations, adds Bruce Taylor as individual recipient

The Salinas Historic Resources Board on Wednesday approved staff recommendations naming 16 nominees for a new Certificate of Appreciation program and later voted to add developer Bruce Taylor as an individual recipient.

Assistant Planner Yesenia Ahtye told the board that staff received 19 nominations and recommended 16 that met the program guidelines. "In total, we received 19 nominations and 16 fit the program guidelines for staff recommendations," Ahtye said during a presentation that listed individuals, organizations, programs and projects from across Salinas.

The approved slate includes individuals and organizations such as Kathy Kolper (Steinbeck House), Lisa Josephs (archivist/curator), the Salinas City Heritage Center, the First Mayor's House project and the Asian Culture Experience of Salinas. Staff also recommended recognition for volunteer-driven projects and adaptive-reuse work, including the proposed restoration and conversion of the Salinas National Bank building and restoration work at 300 Main Street.

Board discussion focused on how the board's guidelines apply to recent construction and to individual nominees whose body of work spans multiple projects. Board members debated whether new-construction projects that evoke historic styles qualify under the program. At least two board members said the Taylor Building—a relatively new downtown structure—did not meet the program's reconstruction standard as interpreted from the Secretary of the Interior's standards, while others argued nominee Bruce Taylor's broader portfolio of rehabilitations and restorations merited recognition.

After approving staff recommendations, the board considered a motion to add Bruce Taylor as an individual recipient and to list several associated projects as representative examples of his work. The board voted by roll call to add Taylor to the list.

Votes at a glance - Motion to approve minutes of a prior meeting: outcome approved (Yes: Munoz, Masgay, Shim, Chair Harihara; Abstain: Michael Wadsworth). Motion mover not specified in the record; second recorded as Munoz. (Roll call recorded during the meeting.) - Motion to accept staff recommendations for Certificate of Appreciation nominations: outcome approved (Yes: Michael Wadsworth, Masgay, Munoz, Shim, Chair Harihara). Mover/second not specified in the transcript. - Motion to add Bruce Taylor as an individual recipient (with projects to be listed): outcome approved (Yes: Michael Wadsworth, Munoz, Masgay, Shim, Chair Harihara). Motion recorded as moved and seconded from the dais; names of mover and seconder are not consistently identified in the public transcript.

Board members and staff emphasized next steps: recipients will be contacted individually about whether they prefer to receive certificates by mail or attend a city council meeting. Ahtye said recipients and the program will be presented to the City Council on May 13 as part of a proclamation honoring historic-preservation month.

The board's staff packet documented the program guidelines and included a summary table of nominations: 9 individuals/organizations, 2 programs/activities and 5 projects. Staff also identified several nominations that did not qualify under the program guidelines, including a nomination focused on the Agriculture Labor Relations Board and a recent commemorative arch installed by the Salinas Rotary Club; staff recommended those not be awarded certificates because they did not demonstrate the identification, protection or interpretation of physical historic resources required by the guidelines.

Board members asked staff to refine nomination language where appropriate so that certificates presented to individuals can reference the nominee's broader contributions (for example, listing exemplifying projects rather than presenting a single new building as the award's sole justification). The board also discussed certificate design and the use of project photographs; staff said two certificate templates exist (a standard template and an alternate template that accepts custom photos) and that photo submissions were requested as part of the application to support the alternate format.

The board did not receive any public comments on the item during the public-comment portion of the meeting.

Ending Board staff will contact awardees and coordinate whether certificates are mailed or presented in person. The board's actions on the nominations will be included in the May 13 City Council agenda package under historic-preservation month recognition.