Williamson, Albert compete for mayor
MONTEREY >> Monterey's first new mayor in nearly a decade will be decided Nov. 8, with candidates Tyller Williamson and Dan Albert going toe-to-toe for the seat.
Both hoping to rise ranks from current City Council member to Monterey's top elected official, the race between Williamson and Albert comes as long-time Monterey Mayor Clyde Roberson steps down, welcoming the position to new blood.
Williamson, 35, is a human resources specialist at the Naval Postgraduate School, where he has worked for the past 12 years. Since 2018, Williamson has served Monterey as its youngest sitting, as well as its first Black and openly gay City Council member. Growing up in a military and, in turn, frequently moving family, Williamson now cites the Central Coast as his long-term home.
A graduate of local higher education, Williamson holds a bachelor's degree in Human Communication Pre-Law from CSU Monterey Bay and a master's of Defense Business Management from the Naval Postgraduate School. Apart from four years on the Monterey City Council, Williamson's experience in public service includes time spent working on President Barack Obama's reelection campaign and, more re
cently, co-founding Monterey Peninsula Pride.
Williamson's policy priorities include developing a sustainable source of affordable housing. He has also placed a focus on addressing the needs of renters in Monterey, who make up 66% of the city's residents. On the board of directors for Monterey One Water, the region's wastewater and recycled water treatment agency, finding a long-term solution to limited water access on the Peninsula is likewise high on Williamson's agenda. Other issues on the councilman's to-do list are ensuring the city's financial stability as it continues to recover from COVID-19 and promoting greater citizen participation.
Councilman Albert, 67, is a retired teacher and administrator of Monterey Peninsula Unified School District, whose career in education stretched over three decades. Following his retirement, Albert was elected to the Monterey City Council in 2016 and re-elected to the position in 2020, though his introduction to local government came far earlier than his tenure as a councilman. Albert's father, Dan Albert Sr., served 27 years on the Monterey City Council, including 20 years as mayor.
Born and raised in Monterey, Albert attended Monterey public schools before working in them, and earned both his bachelor's degree in Industrial Arts and master's in Educational Leadership from San Jose State University. He has served on various community organizations, such as the Fort Ord Reuse Authority, the Committee to Restore Monterey Peninsula Schools, the Lyceum of Monterey County and Seaside Groundwater Basin Watermasters.
Among key city issues for Albert is securing a sustainable water source to support future city projects and expansion. Housing and development form another cornerstone of the councilman's goals, which center on balancing potential growth with Monterey's small-town character. Albert also hopes to tackle rental assistance, reducing homelessness and bolstering the city's Neighborhood Community Improvement Program.
Asked what is the most critical issue facing Monterey today, Albert pointed to limited water while Williamson said housing affordability, though the issues are admittedly linked.
Both candidates are vocal supporters of Monterey One Water expanding its Pure Water Monterey project, a local effort turning wastewater into freshwater supply through advanced water treatment processes. Still, Williamson emphasized his active role in advancing Pure Water Monterey's expansion as a distinguishing factor in the election.
“A contrast between my competitor and I is that I'm actually working on developing solutions,” Williamson said in a call to The Herald this week. “I'm on the Monterey One Water board. One of the first things I did when I got into the board was ask to expand our Pure Water Monterey Project.”
Meanwhile, as he considered the topic of water, Albert maintained the importance of keeping politics out of the matter, noting “one of the biggest issues with getting a new water supply is water politics.” Looking further ahead than Pure Water Monterey, Albert also told The Herald earlier this week that “I think somewhere along the way there's going to have to be another type of project that will complement the expansion.”
Across policy areas, Albert is boasting a campaign rooted in providing realistic solutions to Monterey's tough issues, while Williamson's tagline is “Moving Monterey Forward” by advancing what he's started as a council member and what's accomplished by his predecessors.
Monterey has operated under the leadership of Clyde Roberson, a retired teacher, for the past seven years. In July, however, Roberson announced he would not be running for re-election. He endorsed Albert as his successor.