Soledad Municipal Code Ch. 2.04 City Council

Regular meetings of the city council shall be held at the city hall, located at 248 Main Street in the city, at such time as shall be fixed from time to time by resolution of the city council.

(Ord. 502 §1, 1991: Ord. 491 § 1, 1990: amended during 1986 codification; prior code § 2-1)

Special meetings of the city council may be called at any time in the manner prescribed by law.

(Added during 1986 codification)

Pursuant to California Government Code Section 34886 and the schedule established in Section 2.04.050 of this chapter, beginning in November 2024, members of the city council shall be elected on a by-district basis from four single-member council districts. The mayor shall be separately elected on a city-wide basis per section 2.04.060. The city's by-district electoral system shall be conducted in accordance with California Government Code Section 34871, subdivision (c).

(Ord. No. 765, § 2, 10-4-2023; Ord. No. 767, 12-8-2023; Ord. No. 768, § 2, 5-15-2024)

A. Pursuant to Section 2.04.030 of this chapter, members of the city council shall be elected on a by-district basis, as that term is defined in California Government Code Section 34871, subdivision (c), from the four council districts described as follows, which shall continue in effect until they are amended or repealed in accordance with law:

1. Council District 1 shall comprise all that portion of the City reflected on Attachment A.

2. Council District 2 shall comprise all that portion of the City reflected on Attachment A.

3. Council District 3 shall comprise all that portion of the City reflected on Attachment A.

4. Council District 4 shall comprise all that portion of the City reflected on Attachment A.

B. Members of the city council, excluding the mayor, shall be elected in the electoral districts established by this Section and subsequently reapportioned pursuant to applicable state and federal law.

C. Except as provided in subdivision D herein and notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, once this ordinance is fully phased in, the member of the city council elected to represent a district must reside in that district and be a registered voter in that district, and any candidate for city council must live in, and be a registered voter in, the district in which he or she seeks election at the time nomination papers are issued, pursuant to California Government Code section 34882 and Elections Code section 10227. Termination of residency in a district by a member of the city council shall create an immediate vacancy for that council district unless a substitute residence within the district is established within thirty days after the termination of residency.

D. Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, and consistent with the requirements of California Government Code Section 36512, the members of the city council in office at the time the ordinance codified in this chapter takes effect shall continue in office until the expiration of the full term to which he or she was elected and until his or her successor is qualified. At the end of the term of each member of the city council, excluding the separate office of mayor, that member of the city council's successor shall be elected on a by-district basis in the districts established in this section and as provided in Section 2.04.050 of this chapter.

E. Nothing in this section shall affect the election of the mayor, who shall remain elected on a city-wide basis, in accordance with Section 2.04.060 of this chapter of this Code.

(Ord. No. 765, § 2, 10-4-2023; Ord. No. 767, 12-8-2023; Ord. No. 768, § 2, 5-15-2024)

Except as otherwise required by California Government Code Section 36512, the members of the city council shall be elected as follows: councilmembers in Districts 3 and 4 at the general municipal election in November of 2024 and every four years thereafter, as such council districts may be amended; council members in Districts 1 and 2 at the general municipal election in 2026, and every four years thereafter, as such council districts may be amended. The election schedule for the mayor is not affected by the schedule established in this section.

(Ord. No. 765, § 2, 10-4-2023; Ord. No. 767, 12-8-2023; Ord. No. 768, § 2, 5-15-2024)

The position of the mayor is an elected office. The term of office for the mayor is two years.

(Ord. No. 768, § 2, 5-15-2024)