Item Number: 14
City Council / Board of Directors
Written Communications
Meeting of: January 16, 2024
Submitted By:
Jennifer Thompson, City Clerk
Subject:
Appointment of Mayor Pro Tem
Recommendation:
That Your Honorable City Council open nominations for the office of Mayor Pro Tem, take nominations, and have the City Clerk announce the outcome of the vote and declare the appointment upon a majority vote of the Council.
Fiscal Impact:
There is no fiscal impact associated with this item.
Background:
On October 3, 2017, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 17-056 adopting the City Council Policy and Procedure Manual (Manual) which created a centralized and comprehensive set of rules, policies and procedures governing the conduct of City Council meetings and the carrying out of the day-to-day business of the City of Victorville.
Chapter 1, Section II B of the Manual provides that the Manual be reviewed at least biennially and may be revised by resolution of the City Council. To date, revisions to the Manual have regularly occurred, with the latest revision, Resolution No. 23-104 adopted on December 19, 2023.
Discussion:
As part of the Manual, Chapter 2, Section II Council Election and Governance, spells out the process for the appointment of the offices of Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem as follows:
“The City of Victorville is governed by a five-member City Council elected to four-year terms on a staggered basis. Councilmembers are elected in the general election in November of even-numbered years. The Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem will be appointed by a majority vote of the entire membership of the City Council. The City Council shall appoint the Mayor and Mayor Pro 2 3
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Tem for one-year terms at the first regular meeting in December of every year or as soon thereafter as feasible and, when applicable, following the certification of election results and seating of new City Councilmembers.
Effective as of the organization meeting of 2024, with respect to the Mayoral terms, the following provisions shall apply: In no event shall a Mayor serve more than two (2) consecutive terms irrespective of his or her term of office as Coucilmember, unless additional service is granted by a two-thirds (2/3) affirmative vote of the entire Council Membership. In addition, this limitation applies continuously across the terms of office counting any partial term of office as Mayor towards this limit. The newly-appointed Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem assume their positions immediately following the majority vote.
The nomination and appointment procedure for the offices of Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem shall be conducted in successive order and as shown below.
1. The City Clerk receives up to one nomination per Councilmember until no further nominations are forthcoming. Seconds are not required.
2. The City Clerk closes nominations.
3. The City Clerk calls on each Councilmember to cast by verbal vote the name of his/her nominee of choice.
4. The City Clerk announces the outcome of the vote and declares the appointment upon a majority vote of the full membership.
5. If an appointment is not confirmed, the City Clerk repeats the foregoing procedure once more on the prospect of the City Council reaching agreement.
The newly-appointed Mayor shall preside over the process for the office of Mayor Pro Tem, unless he/she prefers the City Clerk facilitate the appointment.
Should the City Council be unsuccessful in its appointment efforts, whether it be by insufficiency of votes or failed action pursuant to Chapter 5, Section R, Tie Votes, the item shall be reconsidered during the next regular City Council meeting in expectation of securing the requisite consensus of the full body. Effective as of the organization meeting of 2024, if such consensus is not gained after the second consecutive Council meeting during which one or more appointments were considered, the Mayor Pro Tem, to the extent he/she is willing, shall assume the office of the Mayor until the next annual organizational meeting and the position of the Mayor Pro Tem will be reopened for nominations consistent with the procedures herein at the next regular City Council meeting.”
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On December 5, 2023, due to Tie Votes, the City Council was unsuccessful in appointing a Mayor for the upcoming 2024 year, however, the City Council successfully appointed Council Member Becerra as Mayor Pro Tem. On December 19, 2023, the City Council successfully appointed Mayor Pro Tem Becerra as Mayor, thereby leaving the Mayor Pro Tem seat vacant. Pursuant to the aforementioned City Council Policy and Procedure Manual, Chapter 2, Section II Council Election and Governance, this item is being presented to the City Council so the City Council can fill the vacant office of Mayor Pro Tem.
Staff remains available for any questions or comments you may have.
Attachments: None