Residents and recreation staff urge council not to cut Nutrition Center as budget talks continue

Dozens of public commenters told the National City Council the Nutrition Center is an essential service for seniors and vulnerable residents and urged the council not to cut its budget.

"As seniors it becomes more and more difficult to cook for yourself," said Isadora, a speaker during the public-comment segment, asking the council to keep the Nutrition Center open and not reduce services. Multiple other residents described eating at the center daily and said it is both a nutrition and social hub.

Magdalena Alvarez (public commenter) described medical benefits she attributed to the center's meals and noted the fee structure the staff presented: $3.50 for residents aged 60 and older, or $1 for those with no means to pay. Juanita Castaneda, a recreation supervisor with Community Services, said department staff had expanded programs this year but are stretched thin and warned that cuts or unfilled positions would reduce services for youth and families.

Ileana Delgado, also a recreation supervisor and long-term resident, told the council that two recreation supervisor positions were approved at a prior meeting but hiring was paused after staff said the roles were "not budgeted," and she urged council to fix that disconnect so approved positions can be filled.

Council members acknowledged the public comment and asked staff to consider program impacts while looking at options to close the city's budget gap. Staff reiterated that no final budget decisions were made during the workshop and that additional briefings and studies are forthcoming.

The meeting's public-comment segment focused primarily on protecting the Nutrition Center and on whether approved staffing can be funded and hired, and speakers asked that any budget decisions consider the effect on seniors and community programming.