Benicia Community Services Commission Meeting - September 14, 2026

The Benicia Community Services Commission held a meeting on September 14, 2026, at 6:00 PM in the City Council Chambers at City Hall, 250 East L Street, Benicia, California. The meeting was presided over by Chairperson Bhagwat. Key agenda items included welcoming new commissioners, a presentation on the Majestic Theater restoration, the Community Services Department's summer report, and the formation of ad hoc committees.

Consent Calendar

• The Commission approved the Consent Calendar, which included the Draft Minutes from March 11, 2026, on a motion by Commissioner Sachs, seconded by Commissioner Stewart, with a 7-0 roll call vote.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No members of the public provided comments during the public comment period, and no written comments were submitted.

Discussion Items

Commissioner Introductions

• The Commission and staff introduced themselves. Chairperson Bhagwat and Director Dunleavy officially welcomed the two newest commissioners, Commissioner De Trane and Commissioner Fowler, who shared their backgrounds and excitement for serving the community.

Majestic Theater Presentation

• Alicia and Brandon Brewster, owners of the Majestic Theater on First Street, along with David Batchelor of the Benicia Community Foundation (BCF), presented plans for the historic theater's preservation and reopening as a community event space.
• The Brewsters outlined major milestones: HVAC/air filtration upgrades (currently underway), electrical panel updates (dependent on PG&E timeline), bathroom upgrades, and the addition of a concessions area.
• The seating capacity is approximately 290 (180 floor, 90 balcony). The goal is to open within a year, potentially by fall 2027.
• Costs for HVAC and electrical are estimated at $30,000 to $50,000 each, with plans for incremental renovations.
• BCF is acting as a fiscal sponsor until the Majestic Theater establishes its own 501(c)(3) non-profit status. Over 130 people have already signed up as volunteers.
• Commissioners offered suggestions for partnerships (Arts Benicia, local schools, corporate meetings, weddings), potential grant sources, and connections to film festivals, event planners, and similar venues (e.g., the Cameo Theater in St. Helena).

Community Services Department Summer Report

• Recreation Division (Lindsay Zarcone & Eliot Palmer):
  • The summer program was extensive, serving thousands of residents daily across the aquatics center, Adventure Day Camp, community centers, parks, and senior center.
  • Aquatics: 243 kids per session in group swim lessons (1,300+ total), 170 swim team participants, with an average of 180 daily participants (rec swim and campers).
  • Youth & Camps: Adventure Day Camp saw 1,526 participants over 10 weeks. Preschool camp had 263 campers. Sports camps had 407 participants.
  • Adult & Senior: The Senior Center averaged 270 visits per week. Fitness punch passes reached 3,750 participants over the summer.
  • Revenue for the recreation division was approximately $1.6 million.
  • New initiatives included online park reservations, digital signage, Apple Pay acceptance, and a reopened snack bar at the pool.
• Benicia Public Library (Jennifer Baker & Amber Kelly):
  • The Library significantly restructured its summer reading program to boost engagement, introducing daily activity logs, a ticket/prize system, and kickoff/closing events.
  • The restructuring led to a 232% increase in participation compared to the previous year.
  • The kickoff and closing events each attracted over 300 people, including a highly successful foam party funded by purchasing a foam machine.
  • Staff surveys indicated high satisfaction with the new program model and anecdotal reports of increased library usage.
  • The Friends of the Library remain the largest sponsor, contributing $70,000 annually.
• Commissioner Feedback:
  • Commissioners praised the department for its hard work, affordability, and positive community impact.
  • Commissioner Sachs requested more qualitative data and personal stories to complement participation numbers, framing the impact for future budget priorities.
  • Commissioner Kolk and Vice Chair Stewart highlighted the value and affordability of programs.
  • Chairperson Bhagwat suggested rethinking how participation numbers are framed (e.g., unique participants vs. incidences of participation).

Ad Hoc Committee Assignments

• Community Grant Ad Hoc: The Commission discussed forming an ad hoc committee to refine the grant application questions and scoring process based on last cycle's experience.
  • Commissioner Fowler and Commissioner Sachs volunteered for this committee (a third member will be sought).
  • Director Dunleavy clarified that the changes would be recommended to the Finance Department, which controls the application form.
• Senior Roundtable Ad Hoc: Commissioners Stewart, Kolk, and O'Brien expressed interest in serving on this ad hoc to attend quarterly Senior Roundtable meetings, though none were available for the upcoming September 17 meeting.
• Events & Collaboration Ad Hoc: This proposed ad hoc was discussed but ultimately tabled. Staff will instead facilitate communication about grantee events and revisit the topic after the next grant cycle.

Key Outcomes

• Votes:
  • The Agenda was adopted unanimously (7-0).
  • The Consent Calendar (including March 11, 2026 minutes) was approved unanimously (7-0).
• Ad Hoc Appointments:
  • The Commission effectively formed the Community Grant Ad Hoc (Commissioners Sachs and Fowler).
  • The Commission identified interested members for the Senior Roundtable Ad Hoc (Commissioners Stewart, Kolk, and O'Brien).
• Referrals:
  • The Community Services Department was directed to explore gathering qualitative stories and metrics to support future budget advocacy.
  • Staff will actively collect and share grantee event information for commissioners to support.
• Next Steps:
  • Commissioner Kolk will provide an update on the Commission's activities at the upcoming City Council meeting on October 13, 2026.
  • A special meeting date will be determined once information on the upcoming grant cycle is available.
  • The meeting was adjourned at 7:55 PM.