DATE: APRIL 21, 2026
DEPARTMENT: ADMINISTRATION
FROM: RENE MENDEZ, CITY MANAGER
BY: LISA MURPHY, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER
TITLE: 2025-2028 CITY OF SALINAS STRATEGIC PLAN – IMPLEMENTATION UPDATE RECOMMENDED MOTION:
Receive and accept the 2025-2028 City of Salinas Strategic Plan implementation update.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The City Council adopted the 2025-2028 City of Salinas Strategic Plan on May 6, 2025. The Plan identified six goals with key initiatives. The attached Work Plan provides the City Council with an update on staff’s efforts to implement the Strategic Plan.
BACKGROUND:
The City Council met in February of 2025 for a planning session to develop the 2025-2028 City of Salinas Strategic Plan (Plan) and subsequently adopted the Plan in May 2025. The Plan outlines a clear vision for a thriving, inclusive, and resilient community. The Plan identified the following Strategic Goals:
Economic Development
Housing
Infrastructure
City Services
Public Safety
Youth & Seniors
Each of these goals included key initiatives to implement the goals. While the Strategic Plan defines the “what”, the long-term goals and guiding strategies, the Work Plan defines the “how” by translating these goals into specific, measurable, and time-bound actions. The Work Plan takes these strategies a step further by identifying concrete action items, the tasks, programs, policies, and initiatives that city departments will carry out to achieve the Goals.
The Work Plan ensures:
Clarity and Accountability: Assigning responsibility for each action item ensures that progress can be tracked and performance evaluated.
Alignment Across Departments: By aligning departmental activities with strategic goals, the City ensures that all staff and resources are working toward a common purpose.
Transparency and Communication: The Work Plan provides a clear, public-facing document that communicates how the City is delivering on its commitments to residents, businesses, and stakeholders.
Adaptability: As needs evolve, the Work Plan can be updated to reflect new challenges and opportunities, ensuring the Strategic Plan remains a living document.
Reviewing the actions to date will help inform the City Council when they meet on June 4th to review the Plan and consider updating the Goals and objectives and to align with the City’s upcoming two-year budget.
CEQA CONSIDERATION:
Not a Project. The City of Salinas has determined that the proposed action is not a project as defined by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) (CEQA Guidelines Section 15378). If future CEQA considerations are required for specific Strategies, staff will evaluate and bring forth for Council consideration.
CALIFORNIA GOVERNMENT CODE §84308 APPLIES:
No, Government Code §84308/Levine Act does not apply to this item.
STRATEGIC PLAN INITIATIVE:
Receiving the update on the efforts to implement the 2025-2028 City of Salinas Strategic Plan is directly related to the Strategic Plan Initiative.
DEPARTMENTAL COORDINATION:
The Plan impacts every department in the City. Therefore, through the coordination of the Administration Department, each department participated in creating the Work Plan and providing the update on their activities.
FISCAL AND SUSTAINABILITY IMPACT:
The City’s Plan serves as a foundation for developing the annual budget by ensuring that financial resources are aligned with the City Council’s highest priorities. Through the budget process, the Plan goals, such as infrastructure and Public Safety are translated into funded programs, staffing, and capital investments.
ATTACHMENTS:
2025-2028 City of Salinas Strategic Plan
Strategic Plan Implementation Report
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CITY OF SALINASCOUNCIL STAFF REPORTCITY OF SALINASCOUNCIL STAFF REPORT
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