Monterey County Office of Education Celebrates Groundbreaking for Professional Development Conference Center

This morning (April 28, 2026), the Monterey County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Deneen Gus, the elected members of the Monterey County Board of Education, and officials of the Monterey County Office of Education (MCOE) held a groundbreaking ceremony for a new, modern Professional Development Conference Center in Salinas. This building will replace deteriorated portable buildings at the MCOE West Campus complex adjacent to Blanco Road. A Chamber representative attended the event.

MCOE continues to expand its programs and host more frequent professional development trainings, events, and large-scale conferences. Having this facility in-house will be a substantial step forward in pursuing its long-term educational policy goals and strategies for the entire county.

Under the authority of the California Civic Center Act, MCOE plans to allow non-profit organizations, clubs, and other associations to use the meeting facility for youth and school activities, at a cost not to exceed direct expenditures (such as audio-visual equipment and custodial services).

The project is ambitious and will cost $42.8 million to build. In 2024, MCOE borrowed $32,255,000 for construction, which ends up at about $57.4 million when 25 years of interest payments are included. A first contract of $2,187,000 for demolition services was awarded on April 15.

Monterey Peninsula Unified School District Holds First Meeting of Committee to Make Recommendations on Fate of Surplus Land

On April 21, 2026, the Monterey Peninsula Unified School District (MPUSD) 7-11 District Advisory Committee held its first meeting. The committee was appointed by the elected MPUSD Board of Trustees on March 3, 2026. Your Chamber’s Government Affairs Liaison is one of the committee members.

This committee will review past, current, and projected school enrollment decline to determine surplus property. Then it will evaluate the surplus property and make recommendations to the Board of Trustees on what to do with it. See the first meeting agenda here: 7-11 District Advisory Committee Meeting - Tuesday, April 21, 2026.

Housing costs and other economic factors have contributed to a significant decline in the number of families with children in Monterey County. The MPUSD enrollment decline started with the closure of Fort Ord in 1994 but has accelerated in recent years. Other school districts in Monterey County (and in much of California) are also experiencing enrollment declines.

Your Chamber supports economic development and housing strategies that would allow more families to live and work in the Monterey Peninsula.

Chamber Leadership Uneasy About Recent Monterey City Council Deliberations

Over the past fifteen months, your Chamber leadership has noticed what appears to be growing challenges in Monterey City Council meetings and a resulting difficulty in council deliberations. Basically, meetings drag on too long, for a variety of reasons. Last week, the meeting on Tuesday, April 21 ended with a somewhat contentious exchange among councilmembers and the abandonment of an agenda item that was ironically about trying to improve their own meeting efficiency.

Your Chamber will be submitting some specific suggestions and ideas to the City of Monterey. Long, unfocused meetings hinder the ability of the public to participate in their own governance.

Your Chamber leadership also believes the Monterey City Council could be more comprehensive and effective in explaining its needs to propose multiple tax and fee increases to balance its budget. While costs are rising for all local governments in California, costs are also rising for businesses and households. There is a lot of energy at the city council for proposing tax and fee increases, while little is said about imposing reasonable budget restraints and increasing revenue through economic development.

Yesterday, the Monterey City Council announced it was having a special meeting on Wednesday, April 29 to study projections for the city’s Fiscal Year 2026-27 annual budget and discuss “alternative budget options.” See the item here: Study Primer for Fiscal Year 2026-27 Annual Budget and Provide Direction Regarding Alternative Budget Options.

Meals on Wheels of the Monterey Peninsula Partners with MPUSD Culinary Students to Train the Next Generation of Local Chefs

Meals on Wheels of the Monterey Peninsula (MOWMP) is proud to announce the launch of a dynamic new partnership with the Monterey Peninsula Unified School District (MPUSD), creating hands-on culinary training opportunities for local students while advancing it’s mission to nourish and support seniors, disabled adults, and veterans across Monterey County.

Through this collaboration, MPUSD Career Technical Education students in Advanced Culinary will receive real-world training inside MOWMP’s high-volume production kitchen, gaining valuable experience in large-scale meal preparation, food safety, nutrition, and general commercial kitchen operations. Under the guidance of MOWMP’s experienced culinary team, students will develop practical skills that prepare them for careers in the food service industry while contributing to a mission-driven organization that serves thousands of meals each day.

“This partnership represents the best of what community collaboration can be,” says Chase Ewing, Executive Chef at MOWMP. “We are not only investing in the future workforce but also strengthening our ability to deliver nutritious meals to the people who rely on us every day. It’s a win-win for the students and the community.”

Students participating in the program will gain exposure to the unique demands of a professional kitchen focused on both efficiency and compassion. From learning how to create freshly prepared, packaged meals to understanding the logistics of large-scale food production, participants will leave the program with a deeper appreciation for what it takes to produce and deliver meals at scale.

MPUSD leaders see the partnership as a powerful extension of classroom learning. “This collaboration provides our students with an unparalleled opportunity to apply their skills in a real-world setting,” says Chantelle Cafferata, Community School Coordinator at Central Coast High School. “They’re not just learning how to cook, they’re learning how to make a meaningful impact in our community, too.”

Thank You to our MPCC Leadership Circle!

Visionary Members

Cornerstone Members

Foundational Members