Salinas seeks public input on renaming Cesar Chavez library and park.

Since late labor unionist and political activist Cesar Chavez was accused of sexual misconduct earlier this year, many jurisdictions, school districts and college campuses began to rename facilities that were named after him.

The City of Salinas is joining that list.

On April 7 at a City Council meeting, Mayor Dennis Donohue acknowledged the accusations and referred the matter to the Library and Community Services Commission to establish and oversee a process to consider the renaming of the city’s library and park that are named after Chavez.

On June 10, the commission recommended the city move forward with a public engagement process to explore renaming the Cesar Chavez Library and Cesar Chavez Park. The commission also established a subcommittee of three members to develop a timeline and review process for next steps.

These members are Victor Tafoya, Joey Martínez and Linda Castillo.

“When I think about the name of any institution or building, it should benefit the community, the people that use it, like the family and the children,” Commissioner Albert Fong said.

The Santa Lucia Library and Hebbron Community Park were named after Cesar Chavez in June of 1993 following his death in April of that year, according to Kristan Lundquist, director of Library and Community Services.

“The commission can recommend returning them to their original name,” she said.

Tafoya suggested a few possible names including East Salinas Library, East Salinas Community Library, Farmworker Heritage Library and East Salinas Heritage Library. For the park, he suggested Farmworker Heritage Park, Salinas Valley Heritage Park, East Salinas Heritage Park, Madera Avenue Park, Hebbron Heights Park or East Salinas Community Park.

“We don't want to name [these buildings] after another individual in the community and later learn that they also misbehaved and go about this again,” Tafoya said. “We need names that will unite rather than divide the community.”

Tafoya also recommended possible names with respect to the Indigenous community, selected in consultation with tribal members. Plus he recommended involving a broad bilingual outreach with public nomination forms, bilingual surveys and pop-up outreach at the library and a public education fact sheet as to why the city is changing the name.

“You need to be consistent and change all names involving Cesar Chavez,” Salinas resident Eloise Shim told commissioners at the June 10 meeting.

The process follows the City's established Policy for the Naming of City Buildings, Facilities and Property. The commission plans to review the public’s proposed names in September and have a potential council adoption in October or November.

Residents are encouraged to submit proposed names by August 14 in an online survey.