The Merced City Council is the seven-member legislative body for the City of Merced, California, made up of a mayor elected citywide and six members who each represent a geographic district. The council sets local law, adopts the city budget, and meets on the first and third Monday of every month.
Who Serves on the Council
As of 2025, the seats are held by:
- Mayor: Matthew Serratto (at-large, term through November 2028)
- District 1: Darin Dupont (term through November 2028)
- District 2: Yang Pao Thao
- District 3: Mike Harris (term through November 2028)
- District 4: Shane Smith
- District 5: Sarah Boyle, Mayor Pro Tempore (term through November 2028)
- District 6: Fue Xiong
The Mayor Pro Tempore fills in for the mayor when needed and is chosen from among the sitting members.1City of Merced, CA. City Council
Districts and Election Cycle
Merced voters adopted district-based elections through Measure T in 2014. Each council member must live in the district they represent and is elected only by voters within that district. The mayor is the only at-large seat. All terms run four years.1City of Merced, CA. City Council
Elections are staggered. Districts 2, 4, and 6 are up in November 2026; Districts 1, 3, and 5 last went before voters in 2024. As of January 1, 2026, campaign contribution limits for council races are $823.90 per individual donor and $3,295.61 per entity for the full four-year cycle, adjusted each year for inflation.2City of Merced, CA. Elections
When and Where the Council Meets
Regular meetings are held on the first and third Monday of each month at 6:00 p.m. in the Council Chamber on the second floor of the Merced Civic Center. If a scheduled Monday falls on a city-observed holiday, the meeting moves to Tuesday evening.3City of Merced, CA. Council Meetingsp>
Agendas are posted at least 72 hours before each regular meeting, both at the Civic Center and on the city’s website, under California’s Ralph M. Brown Act.4California Legislative Information. California Government Code 54954.2 Agendas, staff reports, and meeting recordings live on the city’s online portal, with video posted no later than the day after the meeting.5City of Merced, CA. Agendas, Minutes, and Video
How to Speak or Submit a Comment
To address the council in person, fill out a speaker card at the podium in the back of the Council Chamber and hand it to the City Clerk before your item is called. Arriving a few minutes early helps, since the clerk needs the card before discussion begins. Each speaker gets three minutes, and that limit applies to voicemail submissions too.6City of Merced, CA. City Council Agenda Items7City of Merced, CA. City Council Agenda Items
Written Comments
If you would rather not speak, email the City Clerk at cityclerk@cityofmerced.org. Comments received by 1:00 p.m. on the day of the meeting are forwarded to council members, mentioned during the Written Petitions and Communications portion of the agenda, and posted on the city’s website. Comments arriving later still become part of the official record and are shared with the council, but they may not be read aloud.6City of Merced, CA. City Council Agenda Items
Read the Staff Report First
Each agenda item comes with a staff report laying out the financial impact, legal background, and staff recommendation. Reading it before you speak or write gives you the context to make your three minutes count. Staff reports are attached to items on the same agendas page as meeting video.5City of Merced, CA. Agendas, Minutes, and Video
What the Council Decides
Merced is a charter city, which gives the council broader authority over local affairs than cities that follow the state’s default rules. In practice, the council:
- Passes and amends ordinances covering land use, public conduct, business licensing, and other matters within city limits.
- Adopts the annual budget, dividing funds among departments like police, fire, public works, and community services.
- Hires and can remove the City Manager and City Attorney. The current City Manager is Scott McBride.8City of Merced, CA. Merced City Council Appoints Scott McBride as New City Manager
- Sets the policy direction that guides day-to-day operations.
Mid-Term Vacancies
If a seat opens between elections, the remaining council members have 30 days to appoint a replacement under Section 403(C) of the Merced City Charter. If they can’t agree in that window, the city must call a special election. Applicants typically apply through the City Clerk’s office and are interviewed publicly before a vote. An appointee serves only until the next regular election for that seat, not a full four-year term.9City of Merced. File 25-1060 – Merced City Charter Article IV Section 403
Pay
Council members receive $500 per month, or $6,000 a year. The mayor gets an additional $100 per month, for $7,200 a year. These are stipends rather than full-time salaries.10City of Merced, CA. Salary Ranges
Ethics and Financial Disclosure
California law requires local elected officials to complete ethics training within six months of taking office and every two years afterward.11California Fair Political Practices Commission. Ethics Training Council members also file a Statement of Economic Interests (Form 700) disclosing financial holdings, income sources, and property interests. When a member has a financial interest in a matter before the council, they must publicly disclose the conflict and step away from the discussion and vote.