Monterey city council names new city manager

The Monterey City Council has selected interim City Manager Mike McCarthy for the permanent position.

Councilmembers voted unanimously Tuesday in closed session to offer McCarthy a three-year contract with a $230,000 salary.

McCarthy has served in the interim position since Dec. 31.

“The Council realized that the best candidate for the job was already working for the city of Monterey,” said Mayor Chuck Della Sala. “Mike may not have been one of the 170 people who applied for the position during our two nationwide recruitments, but he clearly was the most qualified for the job.”

In his four months on the job, McCarthy has helped eliminate a $500,000 deficit this fiscal year and held two Council retreats to set city priorities.

McCarthy previously served as the city’s human resources director and assistant city manager. Before that, he worked for San Jose’s City Manager’s Office and NASA’s Office of the Inspector General. He also was a police officer in Lake Forest Park, Wash.

McCarthy, who lives in Monterey with his wife and three children, holds a bachelor’s of arts in political science from San Jose State University and a master’s of public affairs from the University of Washington.