Salinas Council approves an extended leave of absence for youngest councilmember.

On Tuesday, May 5 the Salinas City Council approved an extended leave of absence for District 1 Councilmember José Luis Barajas, after missing three consecutive council meetings including the meeting on May 5. 

“Barajas is suffering from a medical condition that prevents him from being able to attend or to participate in city council meetings,” said City Attorney Christopher Callihan at the meeting. 

The city charter says that a member of the council who is absent from three consecutive regular meetings shall forfeit the member seat unless excused by the city council due to  city business or illness. That means Barajas would have had to relinquish his seat on May 5 unless council approved his request.

An attorney sent a letter on the 26-year-old District 1 councilmember’s behalf to the city manager and the city attorney on April 27, requesting that the city council excuse him from meetings and official city business up through and including June 30, 2026. 

Barajas is about one-and-a-half years into his first term, after being elected in November 2024.

During the public comment period, three people spoke negatively and questioned Baraja's performance, noting what they called a lack of transparency and not being aware sooner of when these circumstances occurred. 

All council members voted yes to his leave of absence, except District 5 Councilmember Andrew Sandoval, who abstained.

Barajas will continue to receive compensation and insurance benefits during this time period. 

 District 1 includes a large swath of northeast Salinas, from the Regional Soccer Complex on Constitution Boulevard and Laurel Drive, through the northern part of the Alisal to Williams Road and Old Stage Road, and north including Natividad Creek Park and beyond Boronda Road.

Salinas Mayor Dennis Donohue said constituent concerns for the time being could come directly to City Hall, and that Donohue, along with councilmembers Aurelio Salazar and Gloria De La Rosa, would interface with the public.  Alternates will serve in Barajas' place on other regional boards during his absence. In the case where no alternates are appointed, or there are other vacant seats on citizen committees and commissions, Donohue said he was looking at an appointment process to fill those roles.

There are no specifics on Barajas health condition and he did not respond to a request for comment.