Residents of the City of Grover Beach have an exciting opportunity to both serve and help shape the direction of their community by pursuing one of four upcoming vacancies on the City Council. During this coming November’s General Election, there will be three (3) seats for the office of City Council Member and one (1) seat for the office of Mayor that will be up for election.
The office of Mayor is directly-elected for a two-year term, while the office of Council Member is a four- year term, with terms expiring at staggered intervals. Two (2) of the Council Member seats in this election will have terms that expire December 2024, while the third seat will have a two-year term that expires December 2022. This is because this third Council Member seat will fill the remaining term of former Council Member Barbara Nicolls who resigned on June 30.
“Serving on the City Council provides a unique and rewarding opportunity to help shape the future of our city,” said Wendi Sims, Grover Beach City Clerk. “Members of the Council come from all walks of life with a desire to act as representatives and serve their community.”
The nomination period for Grover Beach City Council candidates begins Monday, July 13, 2020 and runs through Friday, August 7, 2020. As is customary, if an incumbent elects not to run, the deadline will be extended by 5 days (August 12).
City Council meetings are held on the first and third Mondays of each month, with special meetings or workshops as needed. As a member of the City Council, those elected will have a hand in developing the City’s policies, approving ordinances and resolutions, making land use decisions, approving agreements and contracts, and hearing appeals on decisions made by City staff or advisory committees. Please note that the Mayor and Council Member seats have equally weighted votes. Additionally, the Mayor and Council Members represent the City as a liaison at various regional boards and commissions to which they are assigned, as well as represent the City at numerous functions.
Elected officials receive a stipend of $600 per month for the office of Council Member and $750 per month for the office of Mayor. Additional stipends and reporting requirements apply for serving on certain outside agency boards.
To be eligible to become a candidate, you must be a resident of and registered voter in the City of Grover Beach. The filing fee for nomination papers is $25, plus an optional deposit towards the printing of a Candidate’s Statement of Qualifications in the sample ballot. Candidates must also file a Statement of Economic Interests (Form 700) and certain Campaign Statements as required by state law. For additional information and filing resources, please visit the City of Grover Beach Municipal Elections webpage.
In addition to the City Council, there are also two (2) seats opening on the Grover Beach Planning Commission. The first vacancy is a result of a term expiration in May 2020 and is a four-year term (2024), while the second vacancy will be to fill a currently existing term that is set to expire May 2023. The Planning Commission is an advisory board to the City Council along with serving as a planning body that makes land use decisions. The Planning Commission also reviews and makes recommendations on the community’s General Plan. Major areas of involvement are real estate development projects and business uses.
Individuals serving on the Commission must also apply to be considered for re-appointment. Applicants must be registered voters of the City of Grover Beach. Applications are available online and can be mailed to or dropped off at the Office of the City Clerk, located at 154 South 8th Street, Grover Beach, CA 93433. Applications may also be submitted via email to the City Clerk (contact information below). Interviews with interested applicants are typically held before a City Screening Committee, with recommendations forwarded to the City Council for consideration and appointment(s) at a regular City Council meeting.
If you are interested in serving on the Grover Beach City Council or Planning Commission, please contact the City Clerk’s Office at (805) 473-4567 or send an email to wsims@groverbeach.org. Please note that potential City Council candidates will need to schedule an appointment sometime after July 13 with the City Clerk to receive the necessary nomination papers and candidate forms.