OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Monterey Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting - February 11, 2026

Boards and Commissions — Thursday, February 12, 2026
BodyMonterey, California
SessionBoards and Commissions
DateThursday, February 12, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 2:15:16
Transcript — Verbatim
0:00

How do we give us a hug Twenty twenty-six parks and recreation commission meeting to order.

7:09

Melissa, can you call roll?

7:11

Chair Ono.

7:13

Here.

7:14

Vice Chair Blaya.

7:17

Here via Zoom, a little under the weather tonight.

7:20

Sorry, guys.

7:21

I don't hear.

7:22

Thank you, Kathy.

7:24

Commissioner Bence.

7:26

Here.

7:26

Commissioner Crampton.

7:28

Commissioner Nazal Getty.

7:30

Here.

7:30

Commissioner Reek.

7:32

Here.

7:32

Commissioner Schmidt.

7:34

Thank you so much.

7:36

All right.

7:37

Now we're going to go to Nate to read the public comment procedures.

7:42

Nate, can you read those?

7:44

Thank you, Chair.

7:45

And good evening, Commissioners.

7:46

Information on participating on this meeting and providing public comment, including remotely by Zoom or telephone, is available on this meeting's agenda, which is online at iSearch Monterey.gov.

7:59

Remote commenters, you will be muted until it is your turn to speak with a timer, will be shown on the screen.

8:05

If you are connected on Zoom, the timer is accurate with no delay.

8:09

In the chamber, we ask attendees to please keep their phones and devices muted to prevent audio interference with tonight's meeting.

8:16

Consistent with the First Amendment and the Brown Act, individuals have the right to speak at a public meeting, which includes the right to criticize or support support city policies or actions.

9:05

She is here.

9:07

And this is her two-week anniversary.

9:10

Yes.

9:11

So we are doing our best to get her acclimated to Monterey and California.

9:17

She's from Newton, Massachusetts.

9:19

I know she's got some things to say to all of you, but we're very excited for her to be here.

9:24

She's spent spending time with each of us individually and taking a tour of all of our facilities and trying to get a good grasp of Monterey.

9:33

And the weather up until today has been pretty pretty good.

9:37

So she's been definitely enjoying her time here and we are very happy to have her.

9:41

And so I'm just going to pass this on to Nicole.

9:44

I know she's got something for you.

9:48

Well, good evening, Commission members.

9:50

I am very excited to be here tonight.

9:53

I was introduced to the city council.

10:04

Pardon the interruption, but I believe the microphone is muted.

10:10

Okay, I might have hit that by accident.

10:12

So good evening, commissioners.

10:14

Nicole Banks, and I'm just uh joining the team as the Parks and Recreation Director.

10:18

Um just wanted to say tonight that at the last city council meeting on Tuesday night, um, I was introduced there, um, gave some overall information for our parks and recreation department and what we uh hope to accomplish.

10:31

Um, but I'm very excited to be here to say that I'm happy to be here in Monterey is uh really just an understatement.

10:38

I can't express um enough how how excited I am.

10:42

Uh tonight I really want to recognize the team that works for the department.

10:47

It's been a uh steep learning curve these past two weeks, and um having such a positive and professional um group of colleagues to help me get onboarded and acclimated has been really wonderful.

11:01

And I think um that we're so fortunate to hear to have uh strong professionals within our department as well as throughout the whole city.

11:09

So my experience has been great so far.

11:13

Um to you as our commission members, and you're putting your your time and efforts into our city into the work of parks and recreation.

11:23

Um, I'd be happy to um meet with any of you one-on-one and just you know learn a little bit more about um your interests, your background, um, goals and priorities that you may have as you participate here and help guide and and be the eyes and ears in our community um for for what our residents are looking for.

11:46

So I'm very excited to um get to be a conduit um and work with you on that.

11:52

Um my background a little bit is in your packet, but I have been um leading parks and recreation departments for over 20 years on the East Coast, um, and so 10 years in New Hampshire and 12 years in Massachusetts, uh, with two different communities in Massachusetts.

12:10

Um, always have really relied on our parks and recreation commission members to be involved, um, help our team really support the work we do and kind of you know, knowing a little bit more behind the scenes what some of our challenges can be from time to time.

12:27

Um, really good great to get to work together on those um those opportunities to find find solutions.

12:34

Um, so happy to be here and happy to answer any questions or um if there's anything further this evening, but really just looking to uh get to know each of you.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Parks and Recreation█████████████████████████████████████████████66%
Environmental Protection███████11%
Procedural████6%
Personnel Matters████6%
Engineering And Infrastructure████6%
Fiscal Sustainability█2%
Public Safety█2%
Community Engagement█1%
Summary of Proceedings

Monterey Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting - February 11, 2026

The Monterey Parks and Recreation Commission convened on February 11, 2026, at 5:23 PM. The meeting featured the introduction of new Parks and Recreation Director Nicole Banks, updates on Neighborhood and Community Improvement Program (NCIP) projects, a detailed status report on department operations from December 2025 to January 2026, and a recommendation to the City Council for the next round of NCIP projects. Commission members reviewed progress on 26 park-related projects, heard public comments on herbicide use, wood materials, and wildfire mitigation, and approved the prior meeting's minutes.

Consent Calendar

  • Approval of December 10, 2025 meeting minutes: The Commission unanimously approved the minutes with a motion from Commissioner Nazal Getty and a second. (Voice vote, all aye)

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Lorna Moffitt (online) welcomed new Director Nicole Banks and urged the department to avoid spraying herbicides and pesticides, stating she has not observed any poisons on plants and emphasized that weed phobia originates from Monsanto.
  • Lorna Moffitt (online) commented on the NCIP presentation, asking the department to use plastic lumber instead of wood to reduce deforestation and plastic waste. She noted that new benches at the wharf use wood, not plastic.
  • Lorna Moffitt (online) praised the operations presentation but objected to the term "invasive species" used in fuel management, arguing that green trees—regardless of origin—are a bulwark against wildfire. She cited a report by David Mahoney and said that cutting eucalyptus trees is misleading and disingenuous.
  • Shelley Schmidt (in chambers) spoke as the NCIP representative for Casanova Oak Knoll, explaining that the committee prioritized public safety projects. She supported the gate project for the children's playground, noting it was requested by a mother concerned about dogs and children running into the street.

Discussion Items

Introduction of New Parks and Recreation Director

  • Nicole Banks, the new Director, addressed the Commission. She expressed excitement about joining the team, highlighted the professional staff, and noted her 20+ years of experience leading parks and recreation departments in New Hampshire and Massachusetts. She offered to meet individually with commissioners to learn their goals and priorities.

NCIP Projects Update (Presentation)

  • Reginald Paulding, Senior Engineer and NCIP Coordinator, presented the status of 26 parks-related NCIP projects. Key updates:
    • Casanova Oak Knoll Park: Fence ($100,000), shade structure, bench, and food prep table installed; nearly complete.
    • Deer Flats Park: Benches rotated to face the field; completed last week.
    • Del Monte Beach: Boardwalk repairs ongoing; a project to extend the boardwalk ($125,000 budget) not started; dune ecosystem restoration ($35,000) in progress; split rail fencing nearly done; bike rack project recommended for closeout due to lack of agreement; low-level lighting ($20,000) not started.
    • Laguna Grande: Senior outdoor exercise equipment project proposed in 2024; initial site selection done.
    • El Estero Park: Old playground equipment replacement started early February; nearly complete.
    • Solicito Ballfield: Light replacement project ($464,000) in contracting; additional grant funding sought.
    • Jack's Park: Turf and irrigation replacement project moving forward with additional funding.
    • Large BBQ area (Solicito): Shade structure permitting and planning done; in contracting.
    • Monterey Tennis Center: Conversion of two tennis courts to six pickleball courts ($55,000) held up due to insufficient funds.
    • Via Paraizo Park Basketball Court: Full-size court with new equipment and fencing; awarded by council Jan 20; contractor in contract; goal to complete by June 1.
    • Hilltop Park Center: Phase 1 ($1 million) for deferred maintenance (roof, windows, HVAC, sewer lateral); Phase 2 being recommended for another $1 million.
    • Veterans Park: Bocce ball court redone (complete Nov); bike path design complete (pending road repaving); half-court expansion planned; split rail fence half done.
    • Villa Del Monte: Benches and picnic tables project not started; on defunding list.
    • Window on the Bay: Split rail fence and dune restoration; $5,000 spent; in progress.
    • Forest management/fuel reduction: $1.8 million awarded in two phases; ongoing.
    • Ryan Ranch Pickleball Complex Design: Not started; on list to be defunded.
  • Commissioners asked about prioritization. Mr. Paulding explained there is no formal ranking; he spreads work across neighborhoods, considers rankings, available resources, and project complexity. The NCIP committee voted on Jan 28 to recommend defunding from FY27 budget over existing projects; city council to decide.

Parks and Recreation Department Operations Update (Dec 2025 – Jan 2026)

  • Tice reported on forestry and maintenance: 17 trees down during winter storms; 7 road closures; staff worked over holidays. A $950,000 CAL FIRE grant was approved for additional fuel reduction. Tree ordinance draft in internal review.
  • Shannon reported on recreation programs:
    • Donuts with Santa (Dec 6): 600 attendees, 150 photo appointments, 35 dozen donuts.
    • Youth flag football: 160 participants, 20 teams.
    • Adult ultimate frisbee: 90 participants, 5 teams.
    • Spring youth track and field: Starting Mar/Apr; summer camp prep underway.
    • El Estero Park Center: New Lego workshops; gymnastics and fencing full with waitlists; preschool playground unveiling set for Feb 13.
    • Hilltop Park Center: Ceramics, Pilates, blood drives; spring break programs planned.
    • Schultzy (Senior) Center: 814 participants; Meals on Wheels daily; trips to Legion of Honor and Cambria planned.
    • Summer 2026 outreach: Recruiting staff; events include Kids Hero Run (Mar 7), Bunny Hop (Mar 28), Fun in the Park (May 7), Spring into Parks passport (May 17).
  • Bill reported on Monterey Sports Center:
    • Record memberships and drop-ins: 57,000 visits in January (~2,000/day).
    • New classes (kettlebell, yoga, core) bring total to ~100/week.
    • New scoreboards installed; backboards need replacement (from 1991).
    • Ping pong program expanded (60-70 active players; up to 5 tables in use).
    • Personal training and group exercise popular; bone builder class includes a 92-year-old.
    • Aquatics busy with lane reservations and Special Olympics training (200 participants, coaches from DLI).
    • Revenue and participation ahead of targets on all metrics.
    • New logo and brand refresh coming; dog scarves to be sold.
  • A commissioner raised staffing challenges: minimum wage $16.90, city starts at $17; competing with $26/hour at Panda Express and In-N-Out. Bill stated structural adjustments needed for part-time salaries to maintain safety and service levels.

Recommendation of NCIP Projects for FY25-26 to City Council

  • Reginald Paulding presented 19 projects recommended for council approval out of 73 applications. Key parks-related projects:
    • Community-wide fuel reduction: $1.25 million
    • Hilltop Park Center Phase 2: $1 million
    • Casanova Oak Knoll Park safety gate: $2,000
    • Del Monte Beach boardwalk stair railing: to be determined (requires coastal commission)
    • Recreation trail wood retaining wall repair (cutoff project)
  • Four other parks projects (El Estero Park Center, large BBQ area, Schultzy Center, Hilltop mural) did not make the cut.
  • Commissioners discussed project complexity and timeline; some projects from 2000 remain incomplete. Mr. Paulding noted no formal prioritization exists. Commissioner Schmidt (public comment) affirmed the committee focused on public safety.
  • The Commission voted unanimously to recommend the highlighted NCIP projects to the City Council.

Key Outcomes

  • Consent Agenda approved: December 10, 2025 minutes adopted.
  • Motion passed: To recommend the FY25-26 NCIP projects (as presented) to the City Council for approval. (Voice vote, all aye)
  • Staff directed: To forward the recommendation to the City Council and continue advancing ongoing NCIP projects.
  • Next meeting: Scheduled for March 11, 2026 at 5:30 PM.
  • Announcements: The Lower Presidio Park meeting (historic monument) is scheduled for March 1, 2026; Cutting Day event will include a large horticulture fair.

Meeting Transcript

How do we give us a hug Twenty twenty-six parks and recreation commission meeting to order. Melissa, can you call roll? Chair Ono. Here. Vice Chair Blaya. Here via Zoom, a little under the weather tonight. Sorry, guys. I don't hear. Thank you, Kathy. Commissioner Bence. Here. Commissioner Crampton. Commissioner Nazal Getty. Here. Commissioner Reek. Here. Commissioner Schmidt. Thank you so much. All right. Now we're going to go to Nate to read the public comment procedures. Nate, can you read those? Thank you, Chair. And good evening, Commissioners. Information on participating on this meeting and providing public comment, including remotely by Zoom or telephone, is available on this meeting's agenda, which is online at iSearch Monterey.gov. Remote commenters, you will be muted until it is your turn to speak with a timer, will be shown on the screen. If you are connected on Zoom, the timer is accurate with no delay. In the chamber, we ask attendees to please keep their phones and devices muted to prevent audio interference with tonight's meeting. Consistent with the First Amendment and the Brown Act, individuals have the right to speak at a public meeting, which includes the right to criticize or support support city policies or actions. She is here. And this is her two-week anniversary. Yes. So we are doing our best to get her acclimated to Monterey and California. She's from Newton, Massachusetts. I know she's got some things to say to all of you, but we're very excited for her to be here. She's spent spending time with each of us individually and taking a tour of all of our facilities and trying to get a good grasp of Monterey. And the weather up until today has been pretty pretty good. So she's been definitely enjoying her time here and we are very happy to have her. And so I'm just going to pass this on to Nicole. I know she's got something for you. Well, good evening, Commission members. I am very excited to be here tonight. I was introduced to the city council. Pardon the interruption, but I believe the microphone is muted. Okay, I might have hit that by accident. So good evening, commissioners. Nicole Banks, and I'm just uh joining the team as the Parks and Recreation Director. Um just wanted to say tonight that at the last city council meeting on Tuesday night, um, I was introduced there, um, gave some overall information for our parks and recreation department and what we uh hope to accomplish. Um, but I'm very excited to be here to say that I'm happy to be here in Monterey is uh really just an understatement. I can't express um enough how how excited I am. Uh tonight I really want to recognize the team that works for the department.

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