Monterey Aldermen will take an in-depth look at its charter over the next couple of weeks to consider necessary changes.
Monterey Mayor Alex Garcia said Monterey’s charter was originally written in 1901. Garcia said the town has not made very many revisions to the charter. Garcia said the town ran into an issue last year when there was a tie in the election.
“Our charter says that the runoff election is to happen on the third Sunday of December,” Garcia said. “So you know, just going through the charter, you see just a bunch of other places that need to be brought up to 2025.”
Garcia said the aldermen will present changes at December’s aldermen meeting. Garcia said other changes being considered revolve around the city clerk position and the Civil Service Board.
“It says in our charter that the mayor can take over the city clerk position,” Garcia said. “You know that is impossible, pretty much unless the mayor has a CMFO status. So we can take that out, there was mention of you know, town marshal. You know, we can change the wording on that. I think Jamie Phillips brought up the Civil Service board and just giving them some parameters.”
Garcia said making revisions to the charter is not as simple as the board of aldermen approving the changes.
“In order to get a revision to our charter, it has to go to the state legislature,” Garcia said. “So we want to get it to them as early as possible, cause the earlier you get it, the better chances are that they will look at it.”
Garcia said that the known needed changes to the charter are just the tip of the iceberg.
