No Change to City Treasurer Position, For the Time Being

The Benicia City Council on Tuesday decided to leave the city treasurer as an elected position and to leave the stipend and benefits package alone, for now. 

There was general consensus among the five members of the city council that the city treasurer still fulfilled an important role in city government but that the stipend and benefits as currently defined, $36,638, were probably too high, especially in light of current budget conditions.

Rob Sousa, the city's finance director is less convinced for the need to have an elected treasurer.  "I have seen the beginning of the end for the need of the treasurer," said Sousa.

Council members have directed staff to re-define the duties of the treasurer and the stipend and benefits and to bring the recommendations to a future meeting.