Pacific Grove Unified holds candidate information session; nomination window opens July 13

Superintendent Linda Adamson and members of the Pacific Grove Unified School District board held a candidate information session on July 9, advising residents interested in running for three open trustee seats that the nomination filing window opens July 13 and runs through Aug. 7, with an Aug. 12 extension allowed only if no incumbent files.

The session, convened by Board President Jennifer McNary, reviewed eligibility (registered voter, residency in the trustee area, and not being employed by the district), the two main trustee responsibilities — fiscal stewardship and policy oversight — and how to access Monterey County Elections forms and guidance.

"We have 3 trustee positions that are up for election this coming year," McNary said, adding that prospective candidates should review the district handbook and board norms before filing. Superintendent Linda Adamson told the audience the district will post the slide deck and county seminar recording online and share links directly with attendees.

Trustees emphasized the time commitment and the work required to serve. "On an average month, maybe 20 hours a month would be sort of what you should expect," Adamson said, describing two regular meetings a month and review of board packets that can range "anywhere between 200 to 1,000 pages, depending on the meeting." Trustee Beth Schumas urged new members to treat a newly constituted board as "a new board" and to use orientation and subcommittees to integrate effectively.

Audience members asked about site visits, peak workload and transparency around budget decisions. The board said site visits are optional and that trustees are invited to join the superintendent during regular campus visits; one-on-one meetings with the superintendent also occur monthly. On transparency, trustees described a recent expanded public forum at the high school that helped residents better understand last year’s difficult budget choices.

The board also reviewed procedural details of filing and campaigning. Attendees were directed to the Monterey County Elections website for forms and rules; trustees noted campaigning windows and sign placement are governed by county regulations. President McNary said candidates must file in person at the county elections office and that appointments are typically required.

When asked what happens if an area receives no candidates under the new trustee-area mapping, Trustee Schumas said the board would appoint a resident from that area. "We'd have to appoint someone who lives there," she said, and the district said it will continue outreach to encourage filings.

The meeting opened with a brief procedural vote to adopt the agenda, which passed. No policy actions or votes on ordinances were taken; the session was informational. The district said it will post the presentation and resource links to the PGUSD website and follow up by email with attendees. The meeting was adjourned with the board noting the next meeting date as Aug. 13, 2026.

Key next steps for prospective candidates: review the PGUSD candidate resources and the Monterey County Elections portal, confirm residency in trustee Area 1, 3 or 5 if planning to run, and file nomination paperwork between July 13 and Aug. 7 (with the conditional Aug. 12 extension described by staff).