State legislators facing committee deadlines to approve a charter change that would allow Monterey to establish a new city administrator position.
State Senator Paul Bailey said he received the town’s resolution this week and immediately forwarded it to the legislative legal team for drafting. The proposal must clear the state and local committee before reaching the Senate floor, but time is running out in the current session.
“At this point, with it being this late into the legislative session, it’s a 50/50 chance,” Bailey said. “I feel very good that we’ll be able to get it passed.”
Bailey said he hopes to suspend the rules on the Senate floor Monday to add the legislation to the final calendar. The state and local committee likely has only one meeting left next week to hear the bill, and if the General Assembly does not approve the measure before adjourning, Monterey will have to wait until next year.
“Well, we look at it if the City Council actually passes a resolution which Monterey has done, then we assume that their governing body is making the best decision for their city,” Bailey said. “And so we take that as the right move for that city. And therefore very seldom do we ever push back on cities asking to make any charter changes.”
Bailey said municipal charters dictate local governance, meaning any alterations must pass both the House of Representatives and the Senate before receiving the governor’s signature. The bill’s language will specify that the charter change takes effect immediately upon being signed into law.
“Well, I would encourage the City of Monterey to go ahead and be doing their job description, deciding exactly how much of a salary that they can pay a person,” Bailey said. “They need to have all of their mechanics put into position as far as that position is concerned.”
Local officials are currently conflicted regarding the specific job responsibilities and compensation for the proposed administrator role. The town can move forward with hiring someone as soon as the state grants the charter approval.
“They shouldn’t just wait on the state,” Bailey said. “If they’re wanting to create that position, then they should go ahead and have a job description and they should also, you know, decide exactly what that position’s gonna pay. And then they can move forward with hiring someone once the state gives the charter change approval.”
Bailey said he assumes Speaker Sexton will handle the legislation in the House to fulfill the town’s request this year.