In March 2016, the El Cerrito City Council made a clear and unanimous commitment to its residents. Under then-Mayor Greg Lyman, the council voted for the Portola site as the location for a new library and explicitly rejected the “library-only” plan. Instead, they approved Proposal 1b, which included adequate space for a new senior center—a recognition that our older residents deserve a dedicated facility for programs, services, and social connection.
Public Support Was Strong from the Start
The decision wasn’t made in isolation. Community voices were united in their support:
Rochelle Pardue-Okimoto (then a private citizen) spoke passionately for Proposal 1b, emphasizing the importance of meeting seniors’ needs. Paul Fadelli (also a citizen at the time) supported the combined library and senior center. Gary Pokorny (citizen and former city manager) voiced support for the combined plan, while warning that some residents felt excluded from the process.
The council’s vote reflected the will of the community. It was a promise—not a suggestion—that the senior center would be built alongside the new library.
The Timeline of Inaction
After that unanimous 2016 vote, momentum stalled:
2016–2017 – Initial discussions occurred, but no concrete plans or timelines for the senior center were developed.
2018–2021 – The city shifted priorities, focusing almost entirely on the library project. Public discussions about the senior center vanished.
2022–2023 – No updates on the senior center’s status. It was effectively erased from the public agenda.
2024–2025 – Over a year has passed without a single public meeting or council discussion about the senior center. The city remains silent.
The Silence Speaks Volumes
El Cerrito has just 26,000 residents in four square miles. This is not a city where commitments can get “lost” in the bureaucracy. It is a city where every promise—and every broken one—is noticed.
The senior center was not a secondary idea. It was part of an approved plan, supported by the community, and justified by the real and growing needs of our seniors. These residents contribute to our city’s vibrancy, volunteer in our programs, and have spent decades investing in this community. They deserve better than to see their needs quietly shelved.
If El Cerrito can find funding for new projects and prioritize costly initiatives, it can—and should—fulfill its promise to build a senior center. Anything less is not just a missed opportunity; it’s a breach of trust.
If you believe El Cerrito should honor its 2016 promise and finally move forward on the senior center, tell your City Council directly. Urge them to put the senior center back on the public agenda and commit to a timeline for action.
📧 Mayor Carolyn Wysinger – cwysinger@ci.el-cerrito.ca.us
📧 Mayor Pro Tem Gabe Quinto – gquinto@ci.el-cerrito.ca.us
📧 Councilmember Lisa Motoyama – lmotoyama@ci.el-cerrito.ca.us
📧 Councilmember Rebecca Saltzman – rsaltzman@ci.el-cerrito.ca.us
📧 Councilmember William Ktsanes – wktsanes@ci.el-cerrito.ca.us
Let them know the community is watching—and that a promise to seniors is a promise worth keeping.
El Cerrito Committee for Responsible Government (ECCRG) 
best senior center location and already owned by EC 945 King its ideal site
On Thu, Aug 14, 2025 at 10:21 AM El Cerrito Committee for Responsib
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Google maps says its a vacant garage. Are you referring to another location???
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