Pacific Grove council approves pay increases for members after heated debate, removes medical benefit language

Pacific Grove City Council on May 21 adopted an ordinance increasing city council compensation on second reading, after council members debated timing, public input and whether medical benefits should be included.

The measure passed on a roll-call vote, 5 to 2, with Mayor Smith, Mayor Pro Tem Amelio, Councilmembers Garfield, Rowe and one other voting yes and Councilmembers WalkingStick and McDonald voting no. Council adopted a motion to hold second reading and adopt the ordinance with the medical-benefits recitals struck from the ordinance text.

The change drew multiple rounds of public comment. Several callers urged the council to place pay changes before voters or to delay them until after the next election; others said modest increases would reduce barriers to service and help attract qualified candidates. A caller said the council’s “self-given pay hike” should be put to voters, while other speakers stressed the need to compensate members for time and sacrifice.

Council discussion reflected those divisions. Mayor Smith said she supported immediate effectiveness of the ordinance “except for there are 3 paragraphs in the recitals” referencing medical benefits and asked the city attorney to strike that language; she moved to hold the second reading and adopt with the medical-benefits recitals removed. Councilmember McDonald said she has received letters on both sides of the issue and favored moving the increase forward but would not support making it effective immediately for the current council members; she said she would prefer it take effect for the next council. Councilmember Garfield urged consideration of when increases take effect to avoid inequities between incumbents and newly elected members and said he supported the ordinance as written to take effect 30 days after the second reading.

Several council members emphasized that accepting the raise is voluntary and that members may decline compensation. One council member said they would decline the raise and become “the first” to opt out. The mayor and others said striking the medical-benefits language from the ordinance made clear no medical benefits were being adopted with the salary change.

Votes and procedure: Councilmember Rowe moved adoption of the ordinance with the medical-benefits recitals struck; the motion was seconded and carried. A roll-call was taken; the clerk recorded the final tally as 5 in favor, 2 opposed. The council also noted an opt-out provision allowing members to decline compensation.

Ending: The ordinance takes effect per the terms adopted by the council at the meeting (30 days after second reading as stated in debate). The city attorney and city clerk will update the ordinance text to remove the surplus medical-benefit recitals and publish the final ordinance as adopted.