El Cerrito residents are once again being asked to absorb multimillion-dollar expenses, this time for Swim Center improvements. The numbers presented at the council meeting tell only part of the story. When you read the details, the costs are far higher than what was initially suggested.
Option 2: Partial Scope – $2.3 Million
This option focuses on replastering the pool and making long-deferred parking lot and ADA upgrades.
Total Cost: $2,311,000 Funding Plan: $200,000 from Measure H $500,000 from discretionary General Fund reserves $1.61 million in new, unidentified funding (possibly offset by grants for EV charging)
Even this “partial” option comes with a pool closure of up to 3 months and revenue losses of $150,000. The parking lot improvements would extend the disruption for another five months.
Option 3: Full Scope – $4.36 Million
This option layers in pool deck replacement and interior ADA/egress improvements.
Total Cost: $4,356,000 Funding Plan: $200,000 from Measure H $500,000 from discretionary General Fund reserves $1.61 million in new funding for FY 2025-26 $2.05 million more in FY 2026-27
The pool would close twice, with an estimated $400,000 revenue loss over those shutdowns.
What This Means for Residents
When you add these numbers up, El Cerrito is looking at millions more than residents were first led to believe. These aren’t one-time surprises. They’re known expenses that have been deferred and are now coming due—at a time when the city is already struggling with long-term financial stability and dwindling reserves.
Relying on discretionary reserves and new, unidentified funding sources is not a sustainable strategy. Deferrals and half-measures only compound costs down the road, yet the “full scope” option doubles the financial burden.
Capital Projects and Missed Planning
The Financial Advisory Board (FAB) recommended that the city set aside a portion of its annual budget specifically for capital projects—repairs, renovations, and infrastructure work that everyone knows will come due eventually. Council member Saltzman and members of the public have suggested it many times. However, the council, particularly the City Manager, Mayor and council member Motoyama would prefer to drain reserves rather than considering new approaches to planning for known expenses.
If El Cerrito had followed those recommendations, there would already be reserves dedicated to projects like Swim Center replastering and ADA improvements. Instead, the city is left trying to patch together millions from the General Fund, reserves, and uncertain grants.
Capital projects should never be treated as emergencies. They are predictable, recurring needs that require disciplined savings and long-term planning. By ignoring this, the city has continued avoidable financial strain and forced residents to bear the costs of poor foresight.
Moving Forward
Residents deserve better. Large capital projects should be planned for, with funds set aside year after year, not dropped on the community as a crisis every decade. Known expenses aren’t surprises—they are signs of a city failing to practice the financial discipline it needs.
El Cerrito Committee for Responsible Government (ECCRG) 