Seaside council adopts ordinance setting future mayor and council compensation; vote 4–1

The Seaside City Council on Aug. 6 adopted an ordinance amending the municipal code to establish future compensation levels for the mayor and council members consistent with Government Code provisions, completing the ordinance’s second reading.

City staff said the measure corrects prior errors identified in ordinance language and restores a lawful compensation framework while delaying implementation until councilmembers begin new terms after the Nov. 2026 election, as required by state law. "Applying the statutory methodology without compounding, interest results in a lawful compensation amount of $11.80 dollars per month," staff said during the presentation (staff provided statutory background and the timing required under Government Code section 36516.5).

The second reading followed public comment that focused on transparency and the city’s response to a recent payroll overpayment. Several callers urged lessons learned, independent review and fair repayment arrangements for councilmembers who received overpayments. "Accountability should also lead us towards solutions, not division," one public commenter said.

After discussion the council moved to adopt. The ordinance passed on a roll-call vote of 4–1, with Councilmember Miller recorded as voting no. The clerk conducted a roll call after the public hearing; the mayor announced the motion carried.

Councilmembers said staff would continue work on an independent CPA review to determine repayment calculations and any payroll corrections that remain outstanding, and staff will return to the council separately with implementation details.

What’s next: the ordinance becomes effective per the code but the compensation increase itself will not be implemented until the new term begins following the November 2026 election; staff will provide additional implementation details in a later agenda item.