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CITY OF GLENDALE, CALIFORNIA
REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
AGENDA ITEM
Report: Charter Review – Placement of Measures on the Ballot to Amend the City Charter to Modernize the Civil Service System, Update the Charter’s Fund Accounting Provisions, Provide for Prospective Term Limits for City Clerk and City Treasurer, Address Changes in Compensation for City Clerk and City Treasurer, and Provide for Miscellaneous Charter Cleanup
1. Resolution of the Council Authorizing Placing on the Ballot Three Questions of Amending the City Charter Pertaining to the Civil Service System, Compensation and Term Limits of the City Clerk and City Treasurer, the Charter’s Fund Accounting Provisions and Miscellaneous Provisions
2. Resolution of the Council Authorizing Placing on the Ballot Four Questions of Amending the City Charter Pertaining to the Civil Service System, Department Heads in Civil Service, Compensation and Term Limits of the City Clerk and City Treasurer, the Charter’s Fund Accounting Provisions and Miscellaneous Provisions
3. Resolution Calling and Giving Notice of the Holding of a Special Municipal Election to be Held on November 3, 2026; and Asking the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors to Consolidate the Special Election with the Statewide General Election; and Authorize the City Clerk and her Duly Authorized Officers and Agents to Carry out all Necessary Procedures for Said Election Working with the County of Los Angeles
4. Resolution Calling for Arguments For and Against the Ballot Measures
5. Resolution of Appropriation Option 1, For Three Ballot Questions Related to Proposed Charter Amendments to be Included in the Statewide General Election on November 3, 2026
6. Resolution of Appropriation Option 2, For Four Ballot Questions Related to Proposed Charter Amendments to be Included in the Statewide General Election on November 3, 2026
COUNCIL ACTION
Item Type: Action Item
Approved for July 28, 2026 calendar
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
At its July 21, 2026 meeting, the Council considered placing proposed Charter 10b2
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amendments on the November 3, 2026 ballot addressing the Civil Service system, fund accounting and fiscal administration provisions, and miscellaneous Charter cleanup. At the Council’s direction, staff also incorporated a separate ballot question concerning the City Clerk and City Treasurer that would protect compensation during specified periods, require the Council to consider compensation adjustments when reviewing compensation for other City executives and officers, and establish a prospective three- term limit. Staff is also presenting an alternative that would divide the Civil Service amendments into two ballot questions: one addressing the Rule of Three Whole Score, probationary periods, and promotional reallocations, and another addressing the removal of Department Heads from the classified service.
RECOMMENDATION
That the Council, if it is so inclined, adopt a resolution placing Charter amendments on the November 2026 ballot related to Civil Service, fund accounting provisions, prospective term limits and compensation adjustments for the City Clerk and City Treasurer, and miscellaneous cleanup, and adopt related resolutions calling a special election, requesting Los Angeles County to consolidate the special election with the statewide general election, calling for arguments for and against the ballot measures, and appropriating funds.
ANALYSIS
At its July 21, 2026, regular meeting, the Council considered resolutions to place Charter amendments on the ballot for the November 3, 2026 statewide general election. (See Staff Report, Exhibit 1.) Those amendments address changes to the Civil Service system, revisions to the Charter’s fund accounting and fiscal administration provisions, and miscellaneous cleanup provisions. At the July 21, 2026 meeting, the Council directed staff to include proposed changes related to term limits and compensation for the City Clerk and City Treasurer as recommended by the Charter Review Committee.
Those proposed amendments would:
Prohibit a decrease in compensation of the City Clerk or City Treasurer during the terms of their respective offices and prohibit an increase or decrease in compensation from being approved or taking effect during the period starting 30 days before the deadline to file nomination papers through the first day of the next term of the respective offices;
Require the Council to consider (but not necessarily approve) compensation adjustments for City Clerk and City Treasurer when granting adjustments for other City executives and officers; and
Establish a three-term limit for the offices of the City Clerk and City Treasurer, that would not apply to any term less than one-half of the full term of office and would apply only prospectively to terms that begin after November 3, 2026.
Thus, staff has revised the draft resolution that would include a separate ballot question related to compensation and term limits for the City Clerk and City Treasurer as outlined 10b3
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above. Additionally, staff is submitting an alternative for consideration that would separate the Civil Service question into two separate ballot questions:
One ballot question would pertain to the Rule of Three Whole Score, length of probationary periods, and promotional reallocations; and The second ballot question would pertain to removing the Department Heads from the classified service.
Timing and Cost Issues
If the Council places Charter measures on the ballot for the November 2026 election, it will have to call a special election to be consolidated with the statewide general election that is run by Los Angeles County. The cost estimate from Los Angeles County to have a consolidated special election in November 2026 has been clarified. With three ballot questions (at 8 pages each), the estimated cost is $660,752.94, while placing four ballot questions (at 8 pages each) is estimated to cost $729,449.42. Staff recommends a $40,000 allocation for informational advertising related to the proposed measures. The funds for the consolidation are not appropriated in the City’s current budget for the Clerk’s Office. Thus, staff is requesting an appropriation of either $700,752.94 for three ballot questions, or $769,449.42 for four ballot questions, if the Council desires to place the measures on the ballot.
Ballot measure resolutions
The proposed resolutions for Council approval are:
1. Resolution placing the charter measures on the ballot;
2. Resolution calling a Special Election and requesting County consolidation;
3. Resolution calling for arguments for and against the ballot measures
4. Resolution of appropriation to fund the costs of County consolidation and related election costs
Next Steps
The following procedures will also be implemented:
City Attorney’s Impartial Analysis: Elections Code §9280 provides that whenever city measures are placed on the ballot, the City Attorney, upon direction of the City Council, must prepare an impartial analysis of the measures showing the effect of each measure on existing law and how each measure will operate.
Call for Arguments For and Against Proposed Charter Amendments: Pursuant to Section
1.08.060 of the Glendale Municipal Code, 1995, (“GMC”), arguments for and against the proposed Charter amendments must be submitted by specific dates. The GMC requires the Council to give preference for writing arguments in the following order:
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1. Officers of the City elected by the people.
2. Appointive officers of the City.
3. Bona fide associations of citizens.
4. Individual voters.
Should a majority of the Council choose to sign the arguments in favor of the proposed ballot measures, the City Attorney is prepared to draft such arguments or, in the alternative, the Council may write its own arguments or choose a member to draft the arguments.
Other Pertinent Election Dates:
A person must request to write arguments at least 85 days prior to election. (August 10, 2026)
The City Council must appoint a person or persons to write arguments at least 75 days prior to election. (August 20, 2026)
Arguments must be submitted to the City Clerk at least 65 days prior to election. (August 30, 2026)
There is a 10-day review period of arguments prior to submitting materials for printing.
STAKEHOLDERS/OUTREACH
The Charter Review Committee is comprised of 12 Glendale residents representing a broad cross-section of the community. The meetings are open to the public and are televised on GTV6.
FISCAL IMPACT
The estimated cost of holding a special election consolidated with the statewide general election and to include three ballot questions is $700,752.94. This amount was not included in the FY 2026-27 budget, The appropriation request is outlined below.
Requesting Appropriation
Amount From (Account
String)
To (Account String) Funding Source
$700,752.94 25300-1010-000 43110-1010-CCD-
1500-P0000
General Fund
Department Cost Center Program
City Clerk Elections
Alternatively, the estimated cost to the City to hold a special election consolidated with the statewide general election and to include four ballot questions is $769,449.42. This amount was not included in the FY 2026-27 budget. The appropriation request for this alternative is outlined below.
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Requesting Appropriation
Amount From (Account
String)
To (Account String) Funding Source
$769,449.42 25300-1010-000 43110-1010-CCD-
1500-P0000
General Fund
Department Cost Center Program
City Clerk Elections
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW (CEQA/NEPA)
This activity involves organizational and administrative activities of the government related to election procedures and eligibility requirements, and such internal procedural and eligibility changes have no potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment. As such, this action is not a “project” subject to the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), 14 Cal. Code Regs. § 15378.
CAMPAIGN DISCLOSURE
This item is exempt from campaign disclosure requirements.
ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATION
1. Council may choose not to place the measures on the ballot.
ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION
Submitted by:
Michael J. Garcia, City Attorney
Prepared by:
Michael J. Garcia, City Attorney
Approved by:
Roubik R. Golanian, P.E., City Manager
EXHIBITS/ATTACHMENTS
1. Staff Report, July 21, 2026