12 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY APRIL 16-22, 2026 www.montereycountynow.com Modernizing Monterey’s decades-old residential parking program has been “a heavy lift” for the city’s Parking Division, according to Monterey Parking Superintendent Cristie Steffy, who says the years-long effort will ultimately make life easier for city residents and staff. “There’s nothing modern about the current program,” Steffy says. “In modernizing it, it makes it more efficient, and it makes it more effective.” Since its creation in 1985, the residential parking program has expanded to include 18 residential parking zones, which Monterey residents have petitioned to create over the years. The updated residential parking program has some key distinctions from its predecessor. While the existing program uses sticker decals placed on a vehicle’s bumper, the new system uses a resident’s license plate as the pass, which is read by cameras that are affixed to parking vehicles. Short-term guest permits will move from paper form to digital, and ongoing management of the program for residents will move largely online. While the old program was free, the new system is $25 per permit per year, among other differences. Community members have expressed concerns about the program’s requalification process, which requires city residents in neighborhoods with existing programs to register through an online portal. To maintain an existing residential parking permit zone, 51 percent of neighborhood residents are required to register. Steffy explains that this aspect was created to ensure that community members in existing zones still want the program, but it has created barriers to participation. Because of community feedback, the Parking Division has decided to bring the matter to the City Council and will recommend they scrap the requalification process entirely. “That would mean that they wouldn’t have to requalify any area that is already a [residential parking permit] zone and already has signage,” Steffy says. “Existing zones would keep their signage and they will automatically opt in to the new program.” Although it is the Parking Division’s intent to eliminate the requalification step, the decision will ultimately be in the hands of the City Council. Steffy expects the council to consider the recommendation on May 19. Existing permits, slated to expire April 30, will be valid at least until that time. Residents will also be able to continue to register for requalification until council votes. On Tuesday, April 14, first-graders at Los Padres Elementary School in Salinas are eagerly waiting for Clifford Gilkey to start reading aloud a bilingual book, El león y el ratón, The Lion and the Mouse. After the former teacher and volunteer wraps up, each student will get their own copy of the book—a gift from the Kiwanis Literacy Club of Salinas—to keep. “When kids have their own library at home, they are going to be better readers,” says Gilkey, who is also in charge of purchasing the books for the Kiwanis Club, which delivers books here on the second Tuesday of each month. For the past four years, the club has distributed books, in English and Spanish, to first-graders at four elementary schools: Los Padres, Natividad and Loma Vista in Salinas City Elementary School District, and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Academy in Alisal Union School District. On April 14, the club reached a milestone: delivering its 10,000th book at Los Padres. The club spends about $12,000 on books a year, thanks to various fundraising sources; Gilkey says they hope to add a new school every two years. Julietta Morga, a firstgrade dual immersion teacher at Los Padres, says the book distribution has increased students’ curiosity and interest in reading. “They really enjoy having Kiwanis here reading to them,” she says. Many of the volunteers are retired teachers and they know how important it is for kids to learn how to read by third grade. “We want them to become lifelong readers and learners,” Mitchell Huerta, the club’s fundraising director, said in a statement. (Huerta also serves as a board member of Salinas Union High School District.) Getting books to keep enables kids to build home libraries and to share books with their parents and siblings. Los Padres Principal Linda Barrera says it takes a village to help students succeed. “It’s nice to have community partners come into the classrooms and into the schools and just work together,” Barrera says. Park It Monterey pauses new residential parking program rollout due to feedback. By Aric Sleeper NEWS FINDING SUCCESS The Undocu-Success Conference presents immigration and legislative updates, along with resources, advocacy efforts and more. The keynote speaker is artist and entrepreneur DJ Sizzle Fantastic. 9am-3pm Friday, April 17. CSU Monterey Bay, Otter Student Union, 3118 Inter-Garrison Road, Seaside. Free; register at bit.ly/UndocuSuccessConference26. (831) 5825414. COLLEGE AND CAREERS Hartnell College hosts its annual career and resource fair. The public is invited to connect with employers. 11am-2pm Monday, April 20. Hartnell College Main Campus, 411 Central Ave., Salinas. Free. (831) 759-6066, hartnell.edu. PULSE OF THE MARKET The Leon Panetta Lecture Series continues with its second forum of the season, on the topic “The Legacy of the American Economy.” 7pm Monday, April 20. Monterey Conference Center, 1 Portola Plaza, Monterey. $100. (831) 582-4200, panettainstitute.org. TAX TIME Monterey voters will decide on a 0.375-percent sales tax measure on the June ballot, and property owners will vote on a proposed stormwater fee in May. City officials host a town hall meeting to discuss both. 6-7pm Wednesday, April 22. Hilltop Park Center, 871 Jessie St., Monterey. Free. (831) 646-3799, monterey.gov/ elections. QUALITY OF LIFE The County of Monterey’s Area Agency on Aging is drafting its 2026-2027 Area Plan on Aging. Public comment is welcome on the plan that outlines programs and services for older residents. 1:30-2:30pm Thursday, April 23. Department of Social Services, 730 La Guardia St., Salinas. Via Zoom at bit. ly/AAAPlanUpdate26. Free. (831) 7554465, countyofmonterey.gov/AAA. KNOW YOUR RIGHTS The County Public Defender’s Office presents an overview of immigration law and the Clean Slate Program. 5:30-6pm (English), 6-6:30pm (Spanish), 6:30-7pm (Q&A) Thursday, April 23. Greenfield Council Chambers, 599 El Camino Real, Greenfield. Free. askpubdef@countyofmonterey.gov. PLAN IT OUT Marina Planning Commission meets to consider granting a permit for a Mercedes-Benz dealership at the Dunes, among other projects. Public comment is accepted. 6pm Thursday, April 23. City Council Chambers, 211 Hillcrest Ave., Marina. Free. (831) 884-1289, cityofmarina.org. For the Books Literacy club delivers its 10,000th book to first-graders in Salinas. By Celia Jiménez The Monterey Parking Division is recommending the Monterey City Council reconsider a component of its new residential parking program. Existing policy remains in effect. E-MAIL: publiccitizen@montereycountynow.com PUBLIC CITIZEN “There’s nothing modern about the current program.” DANIEL DREIFUSS
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