KING CITY — King City Council members discussed the shifting of plans for upcoming events at their latest meeting Aug. 11.
“We did discuss the possibility and probability that we’ll cancel the Christmas Parade,” said Council Member Robert Cullen during the council comments section, passing on information he received after attending a board meeting for the King City Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture. “We had a discussion about some alternate ways to do things. I won’t reveal anything now because we’re still in discussions.”
Cullen hinted that one idea potentially being pursued is a decorating partnership with the city’s businesses and possibly residences as well.
“We discussed a few possibilities and will make a final decision on the parade and what we’re going to do in lieu of the parade at our next board meeting next month,” he said.
Cullen also announced that the Chamber and the City of King would work in partnership to have a city representative on the board, that being Maricruz Aguilar, the city’s assistant planner. For those wishing to contact the Chamber, Cullen explained the doors are still closed to the public, but Chamber Manager Janet Bessemer is available to answer phone calls.
The Mexican Independence Day celebration, which has historically included a festival and a parade in King City near the Sept. 16 date, was canceled by its planning committee, according to Mayor Pro Tem Carlos Victoria. He said they are not doing anything as an alternative celebration due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
As far as an event venue, the Salinas Valley Fairgrounds would have been preparing for the Fall Festival, but Cullen reported from his attendance of a July 23 Fair board meeting that alternative plans are being considered.
“No definitive decision has been made,” he said about the Fall Festival. “I think we could all understand that the chances of it happening are very, very small. They’re looking at an alternate event to do that weekend.”
The impact of Covid-19 and shutting down events has directly hit the fairgrounds. The annual Salinas Valley Fair had to have online auction alternatives rather than be held as the community-wide event. Other events and site uses have also been shut down, postponed or reduced in order to adapt to the ongoing pandemic.
“Year-to-date, they have lost $46,000,” Cullen said. “You could imagine the fairgrounds continues to struggle by quite a bit.”
Victoria passed along community comments he has received in regard to the increase in impound release fees going from $90 to $150, if a person’s vehicle is impounded in King City. He asked the council and city staff to do something to be more accommodating to residents.
City funding will become an ongoing issue for cities as the Covid-19 pandemic continues to hit area economies and thus undercut taxes. King City already had a tax increase in the works for cannabis, up for vote in November.
Cullen announced the Chamber board voted Aug. 10 to endorse the cannabis tax measure.
Measure P would amend the city’s commercial cannabis tax to include a new tax of up to 5% on retail sales of cannabis and cannabis products, including industrial hemp and hemp products, as well as up to 2% on the distribution of cannabis and cannabis products generated from outside King City. The new tax is expected to generate approximately $150,000 annually and will be in effect until voters terminate it.
As part of the consent agenda, the council approved to accept a grant to install a city entrance sign on First Street. The item listed the location as being “the most easterly corner of the lands of the Cheney Family Trust at 890 South First Street.”
“I want to encourage you to move forward on that beautification effort,” said Karen Jernigan, a King City resident who has been a longtime advocate of community pride and beautification efforts. She noted the importance of first impressions when new arrivals enter the city.
“The sign that we have on San Antonio Drive and Broadway has been such a great addition to the town, I want to encourage you to keep moving ahead, as much as you can, on any effort to bring about beautification,” Jernigan said.
The council also heard a presentation by City Manager Steve Adams about the use of recycled water in industrial districts for cannabis cultivation and landscape irrigation. The council approved moving forward with introducing an ordinance to that effect. The first reading was conducted, with future readings required before the ordinance would go into effect.
“I hope this will become a great asset to our city and a use for the non-potable water,” said Council Member Darlene Acosta.
The council also received a status report on Covid-19-related activities and approved the city’s application for grant funds to be used in Covid-19 response efforts.
