Seaside council approves pay increases for mayor, council and updates boards-and-commissions rules amid debate

The Seaside City Council on April 20 voted to increase elected-official compensation and approved a separate ordinance modernizing rules for boards and commissions.

Councilmembers approved an ordinance change setting monthly compensation for councilmembers at $2,400 and confirming a $300 monthly automobile stipend for the mayor; the motion passed on a 4–1 roll-call vote. The council separately introduced and approved amendments to Title 2 of the municipal code to standardize appointment, reappointment and vacancy procedures for advisory bodies and to add a temporary leave-of-absence rule for commissioners who become certified candidates for elected office; that portion passed unanimously.

The ordinance package split the compensation change (item 9b.1) from the broader governance amendments (item 9b.2). City Clerk Dominic Davis and Human Resources Director Samantha Sarani walked the council through the governance updates, including a requirement that every appointee sign a code of conduct before taking a seat and a standard January reappointment process, while clarifying that midterm vacancies will be filled as needed and will not wait for the January cycle.

The governance changes also add a compatibility-of-office provision that places a commissioner on an automatic, temporary leave of absence once they become a certified candidate for mayor or city council; the seat is not deemed vacant unless the commissioner is elected. Davis told the council the provision is intended to avoid conflicts of interest while preserving the right to return to the advisory body if the candidate is not elected.

Public commenters during a lengthy period of remarks urged transparency in how the changes were developed and asked that commissions be given a more explicit role in reviewing code chapters that affect them. Several speakers asked that background-check policies for volunteers be applied consistently across roles.

Mayor Pro Tem Dave Pacheco said the salary change is part of a statewide move to reduce barriers to service and to expand the pool of candidates who can afford to serve. Councilmember Miller said he supported updating compensation but expressed concerns about scale; the final 4–1 vote reflected those differing views.

City Attorney advised that the compensation ordinance and the Title 2 updates must be considered as separate ordinances and that the packet will be corrected to reflect the $2,400 figure and the $300 mayoral automobile stipend prior to final adoption. The council scheduled the required second readings and final adoption votes at an upcoming meeting.

The council also directed staff to circulate clearer public information about boards-and-commissions vacancies and the appointment/interview process, and to accept suggested clarifying edits (for example, explicitly naming the mayor in compatibility language) before the final adoption.

The ordinances will return for final readings and formal adoption at future meetings; staff indicated amended ordinance text would be posted before the next hearing.