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Salinas council waives CalPERS 180‑day wait to appoint retired annuitant David Gonsalves as interim assistant director
Summary
The council approved an exception to the CalPERS 180‑day waiting rule so retiring assistant community development director David Gonsalves can be rehired as a retired annuitant to provide continuity in the permit center; the appointment limits pay to base salary and caps hours.
The Salinas City Council on Feb. 11 approved a resolution authorizing an exception to the California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS) 180‑day waiting requirement so that David Gonsalves can serve as an interim assistant community development director following his retirement.
Human Resources manager Patricia Pena Los explained that CalPERS rules require a retiree to wait 180 days before returning to work as a retired annuitant unless the governing body approves an earlier exception at a public meeting. The council approved the exception to allow Gonsalves to be appointed on March 17, 2025, to maintain continuity while the department recruits for permanent replacements.
Pena Los outlined conditions required by CalPERS and city policy: any employment would be base pay only (no additional compensation items such as overtime or stipends) and the total hours would be limited to no more than 960 hours per fiscal year. Brinton and other staff told council that Gonsalves provides oversight for the permit center, current planning, code enforcement and permit services and that his interim appointment would help maintain the permit center’s momentum during the recruitment process.
Council members praised Gonsalves’ service. The council’s roll call recorded unanimous approval: Yes votes from Council member Barajas, Council member Barrera, Council member D'Arrigo, Council member Dela Rosa, Council member Salazar, Council member Sandoval and Mayor Denis Donahue. The motion passed and the city will proceed to finalize the appointment under the CalPERS exception terms described in staff reports.
Staff said the appointment is limited in duration and will return to council if the department wants to extend beyond the CalPERS constraints or convert the interim arrangement.
