Measure W – Watsonville City Charter amendment
Measure W on the Nov. 5 ballot asks whether several parts of Watsonville’s city charter should be revised, including pay for city planning commissioners, a pay raise for the mayor, employment benefits for Watsonville City Council members and fewer meeting requirements for the city council.
What is Measure W?
Measure W would approve dozens of edits to Watsonville’s charter, which guides the city’s structure and policies. The changes include:
- Allowing the council to pay planning commissioners.
- Giving the mayor a 25% pay raise.
- Reducing meeting requirements for the Watsonville City Council.
- Giving council members employment benefits.
- Relaxing experience requirements for the city manager.
- Changing the policy-setting Board of Library Trustees to an advisory commission.
- Clarifying language.
What does a “yes” vote mean?
A “yes” vote would amend Watsonville’s charter and revise some policies, including rules related to the city council and city commissions.
What would a “no” vote mean?
A “no” vote would not amend Watsonville’s charter.
Proposed Watsonville charter updates
A city charter is a guiding document for the city’s organizations and policies. Changes to the charter must be approved by voters in an election. Watsonville’s city charter was created in 1960 and last updated in 2014, Watsonville City Attorney Samantha Zutler wrote in an impartial analysis for the measure.
Many of the changes described in Measure W are minor edits to:
- Correct typos.
- Clarify wording.
- Make gendered language gender-neutral.
- Replace the word “citizen” with “person”.
- Update references to state law.
Rule changes for the Watsonville City Council would:
- Revoke a requirement for the council to hold a meeting each month, and instead require the council to hold at least one regular meeting or special meeting. Special meetings are scheduled outside of the regular meeting schedule and usually deal with a specific topic.
- Allow city council members to receive employment benefits and allow the mayor to receive a salary 25% higher than other council members. If Measure W is adopted by voters, a separate proposal would be weighed by the city council to approve specific benefits and salaries for council members.
- Allow council members to collect a monthly payment even if they are absent from all regular and special meetings without written consent of the council.
- Remove the requirement for the city council to impose penalties for violations of the city charter, and instead make penalties optional.
Changes to the rules for city advisory boards and commissions would:
- Allow the city council to pay members of the Watsonville Planning Commission. A separate city law would set payment amounts. The commission makes recommendations to the city council about planning and development and makes some decisions about allowing new buildings.
- Transform the Board of Library Trustees into a Library Commission with less power. The trustees now set policy and approve purchases for the Watsonville Public Library. The Library Commission would instead make recommendations on policy and purchases to city staff and the city council.
Other changes would:
- Revise qualifications and responsibilities of the city manager. The city manager is the top city staff member who coordinates between city departments. The existing charter requires one year of experience as a city manager or three years as an assistant city manager. The updated charter would require one year of experience as city manager or two years as an assistant city manager. The charter revision would also require the city manager to regularly meet with council members as requested and act as director of emergency services.
- Allow new city laws and contract bids to be published in any newspaper that circulates in the city. Existing rules require publication in “the official newspaper” of the city.
- Remove general requirements for contracts with public or private utilities and instead consider the contacts individually.
See all proposed charter edits.
Watsonville voters in the Nov. 5 election also will consider Measure V, which would revise the city charter to remove the requirement for members of city advisory boards to be registered voters. A vote on Measure V will not affect Measure W, and vice versa.
Arguments in favor of Measure W
Watsonville Mayor Pro Tempore Maria Orozco and City Councilmember Kristal Salcido wrote an argument in favor of Measure W on behalf of the Watsonville City Council. The charter “is the guiding document for how the city functions,” and has not been updated for more than 10 years, they wrote. “These revisions will improve our governance structure, enhance accountability and promote civic engagement.”
Arguments against Measure W
No official argument was filed against Measure W.
What is the text of Measure W?
“Shall the measure amending the Charter of Watsonville to clarify staff positions and references to City regulations, clarify requirements regarding ordinance publication and hiring attorneys, update qualifications and duties of City Manager, modify Council meeting requirements, allow the Council to set compensation for Planning Commissioners, make the Library Board a Commission, allow Councilmember to receive employment benefits, adjust the Mayor’s salary, and remove or revise provisions to be consistent with current law be adopted?”
City resolution text and more information
- City resolution to put Measure W on the ballot
- Measure W text, impartial analysis and official argument in favor