Vallejo participatory budgeting panel approves agenda, ramps up Cycle 9 outreach

The city’s participatory budgeting panel approved its agenda and minutes and spent its April meeting planning outreach for the upcoming Cycle 9 participatory budgeting process.

Chair Lozano opened the meeting and after brief roll call the panel moved quickly into public comment and outreach planning. Jason Gray invited families to a Vallejo community bicycle rodeo at Dan Mini Elementary on Sunday, saying: “It’s from 10 to 2 this Sunday, and we'll have bicycle giveaways, helmet giveaways, games, food for purchase.” Commissioners asked Gray for an electronic flyer so staff could post event details.

During public comment, resident David Bellif urged the panel to form an ad hoc committee to revise the PB rulebook so the PB process can be used to demonstrate “community support” when cities apply for outside infrastructure grants. Bellif said some Metropolitan Transportation Commission programs and the Solano Transportation Authority are scoring applications based on community backing. He asked the panel to “please expedite it.” The panel did not adopt a rule change at the meeting; Bellif suggested staff follow up with the city contact he believes the STA has already reached.

Alejandro Pulido, a downtown youth program manager, told the panel there is “perhaps a lack of community engagement” in certain neighborhoods and asked for clearer timelines and earlier outreach to allow youth-led design and intergenerational projects to feed into PB proposals. Chair Lozano described the PB process — idea submission, feasibility review and community voting — and encouraged youth participation as budget delegates.

Most of the meeting focused on outreach logistics for Cycle 9. Commissioners discussed a recent Art Walk where PB tabling may not have been clearly set up; they proposed a dedicated “go box” of materials, clearer signage and a city public-works point person to ensure tables and canopies are delivered and placed. The panel confirmed it has printed idea forms, volunteer forms and a supply of giveaway bags; panel staff reported a PB tablecloth with the PB logo had been ordered and was expected to arrive in five to seven days.

Panel members identified priority outreach events and dates: Earth Days (April 25), the Second Friday Art Walk (May 10) and Pista (June 6). They discussed tabling time windows, coordinating visits to high schools (including Bethel and Vallejo High) to solicit ideas from students (the PB voting age has been lowered to 14), and printing 5x7 informational cards. Commissioners recommended bilingual mailers (English and Spanish) and suggested distributing information with utility bills to broaden reach.

The panel also discussed media outreach: press releases, radio PSAs and interviews with local outlets including the Vallejo Times-Herald, Vallejo Sun and local radio (VCAT/OZCAT). One commissioner offered to help draft press releases and another offered radio airtime for a PB public service announcement.

Formal housekeeping items included a motion by Commissioner Hunter to approve the meeting agenda and a later motion by Commissioner Herrera to approve the March 18 minutes; the clerk completed roll-call votes and both motions carried unanimously.

Next steps included creating a materials inventory, assembling a lobby pick-up “go box” for tabling, scheduling volunteers via doodle polls for the three priority events and pursuing bilingual mailers and school outreach. Panel members also agreed to follow up on Bellif’s suggestion to coordinate with the STA and other grant-making agencies about whether PB-supported community backing could be incorporated into future grant applications.

The panel adjourned at 7:22 p.m.