Title
Adopt an ordinance amending section 2.04.370 of the Monterey County Code regarding Board member salaries to:
a. Change reference from municipal court to superior court; and
b. Clarify the effective date of compensation adjustment to be the same as the effective date of adjustment for superior court judges.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors:
Adopt an ordinance amending Monterey County Code 2.04.370 regarding Board member salaries to:
1. Change reference from municipal court to superior court; and
2. Clarify the date of compensation adjustment to be the same as the date of compensation adjustment for superior court judges.
SUMMARY/DISCUSSION:
Many counties and cities tie compensation for their governing body to a percentage of the salary of judges. For over 20 years, Monterey County Code did the same and mandated that the salary of each supervisor "shall be adjusted by the percentage rate of adjustment applicable to the office of municipal court judge." The office of municipal court judge was eliminated by merger with superior court judge many years ago. The proposed ordinance would modernize the County Code to be consistent with this merger.
State notification to the County of judicial salary adjustment frequently lags by several months from the actual date of the judicial salary adjustment. The County Code reads that the adjustment for supervisors "shall" be the same percentage as for the judges. The code also states that the "effective" date shall be 10 days after notice of adjustment is included on a Board of Supervisors agenda. Although there is usually a delay in notice to the County of judicial salary adjustment, historically, salaries have most often been adjusted back to the date of adjustment for judges but there have been occasions when this has not occurred. To clarify the County Code language, this ordinance would make clear that the effective date of supervisor compensation adjustme...
Click here for full text