Library commission forms subcommittee to consider renaming Cesar Chavez library and park

The Salinas Library and Community Services Commission on Wednesday voted unanimously to form a three-member subcommittee to oversee a community-driven process to consider renaming the Cesar Chavez Library and Cesar Chavez Park.

The commission moved after staff described a timeline of outreach and review in response to recent media reporting about Cesar Chavez. The director told commissioners the proposed schedule calls for public nominations in late June through July, staff review and analysis in August, a commission review in September and potential City Council consideration in October or November.

Commissioners said the decision should be led by broad community engagement. Commissioner Victor said the commission should formally start a renaming process and offered a list of naming categories to include on the table: keeping current names, restoring the facilities’ prior names (the library previously called Santa Lucia Library and the park Hebrron Community Park), neighborhood/place-based names such as East Salinas or Williams Road Library, historically based names (for example, Farmworker Heritage Library or Chuco Cultural Center Library), and value-based names such as Community Learning Library or Unity Park. “For me, the answer is yes,” Victor said, arguing for a formal process that also allows for Indigenous naming with tribal consultation.

Victor and other commissioners urged an outreach plan that emphasizes bilingual engagement, nominating forms both online and on paper, pop-up sessions at libraries and parks, and community listening sessions that include youth and community organizations. He also asked that staff provide a clear evaluation matrix and a fiscal-impact estimate for signage and related costs before the commission makes a final recommendation.

A resident who spoke during public comment questioned whether the proposed window for outreach — described in staff materials as two to six months — is sufficient to gather meaningful input and urged consistent treatment of facilities and commemorative plaques across jurisdictions. “Getting community engagement in that short of period of time isn't really very realistic,” the resident said.

Magalia Quaido, an adult services librarian with Salinas Public Libraries, told the commission she supports a public process and offered library staff assistance with outreach.

The director clarified that the city’s jurisdiction covers only the two Salinas facilities and noted the local school district is separately handling the elementary school named for Chavez. The director asked the commission to form a small ad hoc group to work directly with staff on outreach, nomination review and a recommended short list. Commissioners discussed whether an ad hoc subcommittee would advance the timeline more effectively than handling all work at full commission meetings, citing past difficulties convening subcommittees but also noting the practical benefits of a smaller working group.

A motion to appoint Commissioners Tafoya, Martinez and Castillo to the renaming subcommittee (with Commissioner Cvantes noted as an alternate) was made, seconded and approved on a unanimous recorded vote: Tafoya — yes; Martinez — yes; Cvantes — yes; Castillo — yes; Fong — yes. The subcommittee will work with staff to refine the outreach schedule, collect nominations, apply the evaluation criteria described by staff and return a recommended short list to the full commission for September review.

Next steps outlined by staff include launching nominations in late June–July, compiling and analyzing public input in August with a staff report that will include a recommended short list and fiscal impact analysis, and returning that report to the commission in September. Final action on any renaming would be decided by the Salinas City Council if the commission recommends a change.

The commission approved the minutes of its April 8, 2026 meeting earlier in the agenda and heard routine commissioner reports on park projects, summer programs and an upcoming city budget hearing. The commission scheduled its next regular meeting for Wednesday, July 8 at 6 p.m. and then adjourned.