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Record of Proceedings

Monterey Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting - October 15, 2026

Boards and Commissions — Thursday, October 15, 2026
BodyMonterey, California
SessionBoards and Commissions
DateThursday, October 15, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 2:41:51

Original source
Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

Speaker numbers apply only to this recording. Names come from transcript evidence. “Possibly” marks uncertain attribution.

Speaker 1

4:13

Recording in progress.

4:17

Calling the meeting to order.

4:20

Melissa Roll Call.

4:21

All right.

4:21

Chair Bouya.

Speaker 2

4:23

Here.

4:24

Vice Chair Reed.

Speaker 3

4:25

Here.

Speaker 2

4:26

Commissioner Adler.

Speaker 3

4:27

Here.

Speaker 2

4:28

Commissioner Crampton.

Speaker 3

4:29

Here.

Speaker 2

4:30

Commissioner Nazal Gurdy.

Speaker 4

4:31

Here.

Speaker 2

4:32

Commissioner Ono.

Speaker 5

4:33

Here.

Speaker 2

4:34

And Commissioner Schmidt.

Speaker 5

4:35

Here.

Speaker 1

4:36

Thank you.

Unassigned speaker

4:37

Thank

Speaker 1

4:37

you.

4:37

Uh, presentation to lead preschool instructor, Michaela Pruitt for 23 years.

Speaker 2

4:44

Second, Kathy.

4:45

I'm going to read the public comment procedures first.

Speaker 1

4:47

No, no worries.

Speaker 2

4:48

All right.

4:48

Good evening, Commissioners.

Unassigned speaker

4:50

Information on participating in 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.

Speaker 2

5:01

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

5:06

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

5:10

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

5:16

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

5:25

The city encourages your uninhibited and robust feedback on public issues affecting the city.

5:30

Thank

Unassigned speaker

5:30

you.

Unassigned speaker

5:32

Thank you, Melissa.

Speaker 1

5:35

The first presentation we'll have tonight is to lead preschool instructor, Mikhail Pruitt.

5:42

23 years of service to the Contre, not a project under CEQA Article 20, Section 15378, and under General Rule Article 5, Section 15061.

5:58

And I'll pass it to Shannon.

Speaker 6

6:02

Is your mic on?

6:03

It wasn't.

6:04

Okay.

6:05

Then the door do I knob?

Speaker 1

6:07

Should I repeat?

6:08

No,

Speaker 6

6:08

you're okay.

6:08

Okay, thank you.

6:09

And the door knob, you hear the doorknob, just so anyone knows.

6:12

You hear that, that means your mic's not on.

Speaker 2

6:14

And you guys can keep your mics on.

Speaker 6

6:16

Okay, thank you.

Speaker 1

6:17

Yeah.

Speaker 6

6:18

Thank

Unassigned speaker

6:19

you.

Speaker 6

6:20

Um, so I'd like to take a moment to recognize Michelle Pruitt, our lead preschool instructor who recently retired after an incredible 23 years and 11 months.

6:30

So actually, I say 24 years.

6:32

Um she was with us from August 2002 through July 30th, 2026.

6:38

For nearly 24 years, Michelle dedicated herself to helping our youngest residents working with children ages three to five years old, supporting their early learning and development.

6:47

She served families at both the Casanova Open Old Park and Hilltop Park Centers, creating welcoming, caring, and inclusive environments where children could learn, grow, and build confidence.

6:58

Just imagine the impact Michela has had on young children over nearly 24 years,

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Parks and Recreation█████████████████████████████████████████████53%
Fiscal Sustainability██████████12%
Smoking Regulation█████████11%
Public Engagement█████████11%
Procedural███4%
Community Engagement███4%
Economic Development██2%
Public Safety█1%
Engineering And Infrastructure█1%
Summary of Proceedings

Monterey Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting - October 15, 2026

The Monterey Parks and Recreation Commission met on October 15, 2026. The agenda included the recognition of two retiring staff members, a proposal to expand the city's smoking ordinance, an update on department operations from June through September 2026, a comprehensive presentation on the city's structural budget deficit, and a recommendation on a Rotary peace poll installation.

Consent Calendar

  • Approved the meeting minutes from June 10, 2026.
  • Approved the meeting minutes from September 16, 2026.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Esther, representing the Laguna Grande Neighborhood Association, thanked staff for installing owl boxes at the park. She also raised a long-standing jurisdictional boundary issue between Monterey and Seaside at Laguna Grande Park, requesting the commission help expedite a resolution.
  • During the budget discussion, Esther noted the challenge of "disinformation" regarding the failed sales tax measure, stating that many voters did not realize the tax is predominantly paid by visitors. She also mentioned a resident-driven effort to form a "Friends of the Sports Center" foundation.

Discussion Items

  • Retirement Recognitions: Commissioners presented service awards to retiring staff. Michelle Pruitt was recognized for nearly 24 years as Lead Preschool Instructor. Renee Hardestein was recognized for 26 years as Gymnastics Instructor. Both were lauded for their profound impact on generations of Monterey families.
  • Proposed Smoking Ordinance Amendment (City Code Section 22-29): Megan Gonzalez, a CSUMB intern, presented a proposal to prohibit smoking in all city parks. She noted the city holds a "C" grade from the American Lung Association and a "D" grade for smoke-free outdoor air, with only beaches and the recreation trail explicitly protected. The proposal would expand the definition of "recreation area" to cover 37 parks and 790 acres, relying on a self-enforcement model. Commissioners unanimously expressed strong support for the concept and agreed to forward it to staff for development.
  • Status of Parks & Recreation Operations (June-September 2026): Division heads provided a detailed report. Recreation reported a successful summer with Camp Kinsabi serving over 500 children. The Monterey Sports Center has grown to over 9,000 members. Staff highlighted maximizing Solcito Ballpark, ongoing Hilltop renovations, and a partnership with the Boys and Girls Club at Casanova.
  • City Budget Deficit and "Roadmap to Resilience": Assistant City Manager Nat Rajanza and Parks & Rec Director Nicole presented on the city's structural deficit. Key drivers include a 153% increase in insurance costs ($3.1M annually) and a 70% increase in utilities. The current budget was balanced by freezing 30 positions and reappropriating $3.5M in NCIP funds. A sales tax increase failed by 162 votes. Commissioner Buaya shared that a community workshop exercise showed strong public support for parks.
  • Rotary Peace Poll at Sister City Park: Deb Linden from the Rotary Club of Monterey Bay Passport proposed installing an eight-foot peace poll at Sister City Park. The poll would display "May Peace Prevail on Earth" in eight languages and include braille. The Rotary Club would fund the poll and installation. The Commission voted unanimously to recommend approval to City Council.

Key Outcomes

  • Smoking Ordinance: Staff will prepare a formal amendment to City Code Section 22-29 to prohibit smoking in all city parks.
  • Rotary Peace Poll: A motion to recommend approval to City Council passed unanimously. The item is scheduled for the Council's October 20 consent agenda.
  • Budget Considerations: Staff will continue public and internal engagement to identify efficiencies and revenue opportunities.
  • Next Meeting: The next regular meeting is tentatively scheduled for December 9, 2026.

Meeting Transcript

Recording in progress. Calling the meeting to order. Melissa Roll Call. All right. Chair Bouya. Here. Vice Chair Reed. Here. Commissioner Adler. Here. Commissioner Crampton. Here. Commissioner Nazal Gurdy. Here. Commissioner Ono. Here. And Commissioner Schmidt. Here. Thank you. Thank you. Uh, presentation to lead preschool instructor, Michaela Pruitt for 23 years. Second, Kathy. I'm going to read the public comment procedures first. No, no worries. All right. Good evening, Commissioners. Information on participating in 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 commentators, you will be muted until it is your turn to speak, and 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 your phone 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 public meetings, which includes the right to criticize or support city policies or actions. The city encourages your uninhibited and robust feedback on public issues affecting the city. Thank you. Thank you, Melissa. The first presentation we'll have tonight is to lead preschool instructor, Mikhail Pruitt. 23 years of service to the Contre, not a project under CEQA Article 20, Section 15378, and under General Rule Article 5, Section 15061. And I'll pass it to Shannon. Is your mic on? It wasn't. Okay. Then the door do I knob? Should I repeat? No, you're okay. Okay, thank you. And the door knob, you hear the doorknob, just so anyone knows. You hear that, that means your mic's not on. And you guys can keep your mics on.

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