11/18/2025 - 10:00 AM

MISSION: We seek to provide timely, informative updates on regional topics relevant to our members.

Recap:

CITY OF MONTEREY

City Manager Hans Uslar is retiring and announced this would probably be his last time participating on the Business Roundtable call. Participants thanked Hans for his service to the City of Monterey and his consistent attendance and reporting on the affairs of the City of Monterey over the past 5½ years.
The first Business Roundtable call was held on March 19, 2020 as an implemented strategy of the “COVID-19 Business Action & Economic Recovery Team,” a cooperative effort of the City of Monterey and the Monterey Peninsula Chamber of Commerce to achieve success in two stages of the COVID-19 threat: (1) response to the immediate threat, and (2) economic recovery when the threat diminishes. Hans Uslar was one of the three key figures in establishing this team (along with former Chamber CEO Frank Geisler and Mike Zimmerman of the Cannery Row Company). The team indeed succeeded, and the Business Roundtable endures today as a forum for sharing issues affecting the Monterey Peninsula.
Tonight (Tuesday, November 18, 2025) the Monterey City Council will take action on two items related to water supply.
They will decide on a policy to allocate 149 acre-feet of water available to the City of Monterey as a result of the implementation of the expansion of Pure Water Monterey, a wastewater recycling project now providing a significant portion of the region's water supply. Also, the Monterey City Council will decide on the wording of a letter to the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) asking for a modification of the Cease and Desist order imposed in 2009 that prohibits water allocations for new meters or expansion of existing service.
A Chamber representative will be at the meeting to make sure these policies are approved without extraneous additions that are detrimental to businesses or commerce.
Transient Occupancy Taxes (TOT) collected by the City of Monterey were slightly lower for October 2025 as compared to October 2024, but were slightly higher for September 2025 as compared to September 2024.
Generally, economic activity for tourism and hospitality has leveled off, resulting in stable, dependable tax revenue without immediate expectations for significant growth or loss.

COUNTY OF MONTEREY

At its November 1 meeting, the Monterey County Board of Supervisors Economic Development Committee forwarded to the Board of Supervisors a qualified candidate for appointment to the committee's designated labor representative and three qualified candidates for the committee's designated higher education representative.
The Economic Development Committee recommends economic development strategies to the Board of Supervisors and plays an advisory role for policies on the four county Development Set-Aside (DSA) programs: See Monterey (formerly the Monterey County Convention and Visitors Bureau), Arts Council for Monterey County, Monterey County Film Commission, and Monterey County Business Council.

AGRICULTURE

Today (Tuesday, November 18) the Monterey County Board of Supervisors receives a report from the Monterey County Agricultural Commissioner entitled "2025 Economic Contributions of Monterey County Agriculture." This is the fourth report in a "Crop Report Plus Series" meant to quantify agriculture's total economic contribution to the county.
It goes beyond the routine annual Crop Report to explain how agriculture fits into the larger economic picture and show the diversity of our agricultural industry and its resiliency in navigating weather swings, market fluctuations, and natural disasters. It's a useful rebuttal to misguided county residents who want large-scale agriculture leave Monterey County.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is reopening the offices that provide research and oversight for agriculture in the county. They weren't regarded as essential during the federal government shutdown.
Most field operations in the Salinas Valley have shifted to Yuma, Arizona and Imperial County in Southern California. Most local fields will be idle at least through January 2026.
The abundant early rainfall bodes well for water storage in the Nacimiento and San Antonio reservoirs, located at the border of Monterey and San Luis Obispo counties. Water released in the summer through dams from those reservoirs provides an essential source of agricultural irrigation for the Salinas Valley, all the way to the coast, where the Salinas Valley Diversion Facility collects and diverts water flow released from those dams to the Castroville Seawater Intrusion Project (CSIP).
The Central Coast Young Farmers & Ranchers, associated with the Monterey County Farm Bureau, are having their annual crab feed fundraiser on January 31, 2026. Interesting fact: when the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) restricts local crab fishing, the Farm Bureau must bring in crab from Alaska at a much higher price.

MONTEREY REGIONAL AIRPORT

Employees of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) worked at Monterey Regional Airport during the federal shutdown because they were deemed essential employees, but were not paid. They have now received a partial payment for that work. The airport had some cancelations for Los Angeles and Phoenix flights because of the impact of the federal shutdown, but customers were able to find other options for their travel.
The Airport is working with Visit Carmel and See Monterey for a marketing strategy to get people to use the new nonstop United Airlines seasonal service that starts on May 23, 2026 between Monterey and Chicago.

MONTEREY BAY AQUARIUM

The aquarium has closed its early-learners area for renovations and modernization. It will reopen in November 2026 in conjunction with a marketing campaign.

ENERGY

Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) is waiting for a decision from the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) on its application for rate increases starting in 2027. Their proposed rate increase will be the lowest in ten years, as the utility is responding to customer concerns about substantial increases in recent years.

NON-PROFIT SOCIAL SERVICES

The annual Monterey County Gives! campaign is underway. This is an important mechanism for funding for groups such as United Way Monterey County.
There was some distress from local residents about the impact of the federal shutdown on the U.S. Department of Agriculture food assistance program known as SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program). Local food banks were reporting diminished supplies. In Monterey County (population 439,000), 51,000 people use SNAP.
The County of Monterey is working with partners on expressing a common message about who is eligible to enroll and be enrolled in Medi-Cal starting in 2026.

REAL ESTATE

While anecdotes claim a slowdown in Monterey County real estate, the data obtained by the Monterey County Association of Realtors does not show it. Cost, qualification for loans, and insurance availability continue to be obstacles for potential homeowners.
The City of Monterey has been a leader on policies and practices designed to reduce fire risk, such as tree ordinances and vegetation management.
Housing summits this month are emphasizing the often-overlooked "missing middle" in housing supply. People in middle class jobs such as teacher, public safety officer, etc. are not eligible for subsidized housing but can't afford market rate housing.
New water allocations from the City of Monterey could allow construction of new Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) and other supplemental residential units associated with existing housing.

CHAMBER BUSINESS

The Chamber was a sponsor of the Monterey Bay Defense Alliance (MBDA) breakfast on November 12: “Forgotten Heroes No More – Commemorating 50 Years of the Vietnam War,” a fireside chat with Leon Panetta and Colonel (Ret.) Fred Meurer, moderated by Dan Green of KSBW. You can view it here.

Next teleconference will be held Tuesday, 12/2/2025 at 10:00 AM.

If you are interested in participating on the teleconference or being added to the list, please contact monica@montereychamber.com. Your feedback is welcome.

montereychamber.com

Mixer: Ronbow Monterey

Thursday, November 20| 4:30 PM - 6:00 PM

496 Del Monte Center, Monterey

Please join us for the Ronbow Mixer! Check out the showroom, meet the team, enjoy refreshments, bites, and a raffle drawing giveaway.

Holiday Mixer: Deja Blue

Thursday, December 18| 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM

510 Broadway Avenue, Seaside

Please join us for the Deja Blue Holiday Mixer! Come check out the newly renovated event space open to all. Enjoy food, festivities and great company.