Residents raised questions during public comment about how Measure I funds will be prioritized and whether the planned Grape Day Park renovation will disrupt the city's signature festival.

Greg Oliver, a resident active on Measure I oversight questions, said voters endorsed Measure I with specific elements including homelessness, parks and infrastructure, and public safety. He urged the council to provide a "clear, specific vision" and tangible benchmarks for each element so the Citizens Oversight Committee (scheduled to meet Aug. 6) can evaluate expenditures against voters' expectations.

"If there isn't a defined desired state for each of these areas, it'll be difficult for the oversight committee and the public to determine if we are indeed moving towards outcomes that resonated with the voters," Oliver said. He asked the city and the oversight committee to provide guardrails and to report publicly on progress.

Courtney Cabral, president of the Escondido History Center, asked for transparency about the construction schedule for the planned overhaul of Grape Day Park and noted the Grape Day Festival is scheduled for Sept. 13. She said that vendors, event planners and the public need to know "how far into the construction this city will be by then" to plan safely and avoid disrupting a long-standing community event.

Council members responded that staff would provide the construction timeline and that the oversight committee meeting is scheduled for Aug. 6. Council also indicated there would be a future agenda item or retreat discussion to clarify Measure I priorities and benchmarks for the public and oversight committee to use in evaluation. No formal action on Measure I priorities was taken at the meeting; the remarks were recorded as public comment and the council asked staff to follow up with scheduling and process information.