Three Potential Charter Amendments: Council Vacancies,
Public Works Contracting , & City Manager Settlement
Authority
Connie Verceles, Assistant City Manager
June 16, 2026
DRAFT PRESENTATION
2 Background & Process
1 Nov 2023 Colleagues' Memo: Charter Review Committee (CRC) requested 2 Jun 2024 Council created CRC; members appointed Dec 2024 3 Jun 2025 Joint Council/CRC meeting — 5 items directed for study 4 Feb 2026 CRC presented final report with 4 recommended amendments 5 May 2026 Council received polling results; directed 3 measures to ballot
DRAFT PRESENTATION
3 Three Proposed Charter Amendments
1 § 606
Council Vacancies
Appointed Councilmembers
serve until the next November
general municipal election
(even years)
2 § 1309
Public Works
Contracting
Authorizes alternative project
delivery methods permitted
under California law
3 § 1314
City Manager Settlement
Authority
Allows Council to set (by
ordinance) the City Manager's
claims settlement limit above
$50,000
DRAFT PRESENTATION
4 Council Vacancies Ballot Question
AS IT WILL APPEAR TO VOTERS
Shall Section 606 of the City Charter be amended to provide that a person appointed to fill a vacancy on the City Council shall serve until a successor is elected at the next General Municipal Election (held in November of even-numbered years), instead of at the earliest statewide election, thereby avoiding the cost of a separate election to fill the vacancy and the possibility of two City Council elections in the same year?
DRAFT PRESENTATION
5 Public Works Contracting Ballot Question
AS IT WILL APPEAR TO VOTERS
Shall Section 1309 of the City Charter be amended to allow the City Council to adopt an ordinance giving the City more options for delivery of public works construction projects by authorizing use of any purchasing or contracting method allowed by California law to select contractors for such projects, and to make clarifying changes to the wording of Section 1309 that do not alter the meaning of the section?
DRAFT PRESENTATION
6 City Manager Settlement Authority Ballot Question
AS IT WILL APPEAR TO VOTERS
Shall Section 1314 of the City Charter be amended to authorize the City Council to adopt an ordinance establishing the maximum amount the City Manager may approve to settle legal claims against the City, instead of the current $50,000 limit established by state law and unchanged since 1989, while retaining City Council approval authority for settlements exceeding the amount set by the ordinance?
DRAFT PRESENTATION
7 Ballot Arguments — Council Action Required
Option A
Full Council Submits
Argument
City Council as a body
submits a written argument
in favor of (or against) each
measure
Option B
Designated Member(s)
Council authorizes named
member(s) to submit & sign
argument; they may also
invite signatures from other
Councilmembers,
associations, or eligible
voters
Option C
No Action
Council takes no action;
City Clerk follows Elections
Code § 9287(a) priorities to
select which argument is
printed in Sample Ballot
Key Deadlines
Arguments for/against: Tuesday, August 11, 2026 at 5:00 p.m Rebuttal arguments: Tuesday, August 18, 2026 at 5:00 p.m Option C
DRAFT PRESENTATION
8 Staff Recommendation & Requested Actions
1 § 606
Council Vacancies
Adopt Resolution
2 § 1309
Public Works
Contracting
Adopt Resolution
3 § 1314
City Manager
Settlement Auth.
Adopt Resolution
Each resolution:
Calls the Nov. 3, 2026 General Election, Requests County consolidation & election services, Directs City Attorney to prepare impartial analysis, and Sets ballot argument priorities Council must also choose a Ballot Argument option (A, B, or C) for each of the three measures
DRAFT PRESENTATION