12/30/2025 - 10:00 AM

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

Recap:

City of Monterey

• Today is Hans Uslar's last day as Monterey City Manager, and the Business Roundtable virtual meeting today was his last formal meeting.
• Hans was involved in the establishment of the Business Roundtable as a founder and leader of the Monterey COVID-19 Business Action & Economic Recovery Team, a partnership of the Monterey Peninsula Chamber of Commerce and the City of Monterey to advance positive, pro-active responses to COVID-19 public health orders. The first Business Roundtable meeting was held on March 19, 2020.
• The Monterey City Council will be interviewing final candidates for City Manager on Saturday, January 10, 2026. In the meantime, former Monterey County Chief Administrative Officer Lew Bauman is serving as the interim City Manager.
• The City of Monterey has implemented spending cuts and spending restraints to reduce the city's projected $10 million structural budget deficit. However, starting in February the city council will need to start making tough decisions about additional spending cuts or proposed tax increases, which voters will have to approve. 
• Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) revenue for the City of Monterey in the first six months of 2025 was slightly higher than expected, but November 2025 TOT revenue was down a little bit from November 2024. The city's budget deficit is unlikely to be eliminated by increases in hotel tax revenue from higher occupancy rates or higher room prices, although Cannery Row and others report good visitation numbers. 

Monterey Regional Airport

• There was a slight increase in passenger numbers in November 2025 compared to November 2024. The numbers probably would have been even higher without the federal shutdown.
• There were over 1200 military-related travelers for the Christmas season, and the airport board room was converted into a lounge for military personnel. Some military personnel were stuck overnight because of weather conditions -- no flights came into the airport on the evening of December 23 because of high winds.
• Construction of the new replacement passenger terminal continues at ground level with shoring for foundations and pits for elevators. Rain could slow this stage of work. The airport's goal is to have the terminal open for operations before the 2027 U.S. Open Golf Championship on June 17-20, 2027 at the Pebble Beach Golf Links.

Campus of Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey (MIIS)

• Your Chamber's Government Affairs Committee has recommended and your Chamber's Board of Directors has approved a 2026 Government Affairs goal related to Quality-of-Life issues to monitor the impending closure of the Monterey Institute of International Studies at Monterey (MIIS) campus. Chamber members should note that the formal announcement issued by Middlebury College on August 28, 2025 stated that it will "conclude residential graduate programs and the online degree programs described below at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey (MIIS)" and "will pause consideration of any repurposing, lease, or sale of property until the completion of programs in June 2027."
• There is much speculation about the future of this campus, but MIIS has not announced any immediate plans at this time. Middlebury owns all campus properties, including the building at 787 Munras Avenue that MIIS purchased in 2029 and opened for student housing in 2021.

Next teleconference will be held Tuesday, 1/13/2026 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.