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Board issues proclamations for National Library Week, Child Abuse Prevention Month, Arts Month and presents Cesar Chavez awards
Summary
Supervisors unanimously approved proclamations for National Library Week and Child Abuse Prevention Month, accepted an arts council presentation and proclaimed April as Arts, Culture and Creativity Month; the board also presented Cesar Chavez awards to three community leaders.
San Benito County supervisors used a portion of their April 8 meeting to approve several proclamations and recognize community leaders.
Library proclamation: The board voted unanimously to proclaim April 6–12 as National Library Week in San Benito County. County librarian Austin Curtis and Friends of the San Benito County Free Library attendees received the proclamation; staff and the public were invited to upcoming library events and a planned library expansion slated for 2027.
Child Abuse Prevention Month: The board unanimously proclaimed April 2025 as National Child Abuse Prevention Month in San Benito County. Child‑protection statistics were cited in the proclamation text, including a reference to 213 reports investigated by the county’s Child Protective Services division in 2024. Speakers noted local prevention programs and an April 17 recognition event for “unsung heroes” of child‑abuse prevention.
Arts, Culture and Creativity Month: The board accepted a presentation from Jennifer Lane, executive director of the San Benito County Arts Council, then unanimously proclaimed April 2025 as Arts, Culture and Creativity Month in San Benito County. Lane highlighted the arts council’s programs, saying the council serves more than 6,000 students and runs about 75 art classes per week in the county; she also noted the council has distributed roughly $200,000 in local arts grants in recent years and helped bring more than $12 million in arts funding into the county over the last decade.
Cesar Chavez awards: The board approved certificates recognizing Cesar Chavez award recipients Maria Romero, Julio Salazar and Veronica Lazama for service to farmworker and immigrant communities. Julio Salazar and Captain Maria Romero accepted certificates in person; Veronica Lazama’s certificate was left with the Latino Coalition for later presentation.
Why it matters: The proclamations and awards are ceremonial but signal county support for libraries, child‑abuse prevention programming, arts education and local community leaders who work with farmworker and immigrant populations. Staff noted the library expansion, arts‑education investments and upcoming community events.
Votes: all proclamations and the Cesar Chavez certificates passed unanimously.
