Pressing for economic development in Monterey County
Monterey County is placing wine maker Steve Pessagno on the county Planning Commission as replacement for rancher Miguel Errea whose term ended last month.
According to [County Supervisor Simon] Salinas, Pessagno’s expertise in the wine industry was a key element in his favor because of the industry’s growing importance to the county’s economy and the emergence of a winery corridor in the general plan update.
“As we’re looking at the winery corridor and developing that portion of the county’s economy, I figured I wanted to get someone with a background in the wine industry,” Salinas said. “The fact that there’s somebody with the background who knows the details of the industry will be valuable.”
Pessagno owns Pessagno Winery, on of about about 85 wineries and growers in the county.