Westminster City Council
SUBJECT
Title
Request to Consider Changing the Office of the Mayor from Directly Elected to Rotational.
End
From: Christine Cordon, City Manager
Requested by: Council Member NamQuan Nguyen
Council Member Amy Phan West
Prepared by*: Ashton R. Arocho, City Clerk
*Staff reports prepared by staff on behalf of members of the City Council do not reflect the opinions of staff and are generated in collaboration with the requesting council member(s).
____________________________________________________________
RECOMMENDED ACTION
Recommendation
Consider the request regarding the proposed elimination of the office of directly elected mayor and provide direction regarding a ballot measure.
end
BACKGROUND
This item was requested by Council Member Nguyen (District 4) and seconded by Councilwoman Phan West (District 1), to consider the elimination of the office of a directly elected mayor and move to a rotational mayor.
Currently the office of the mayor is directly elected by the voters, is at-large, and serves a term of four years. There are four other council members, each of whom are elected to represent one of four districts within the city. The office of the directly elected mayor was established by the voters so any change to that office would also require a ballot measure approved by the voters.
A majority vote of the city council, or a qualified ballot initiative by the voters, would be required in order to place a measure on the ballot. Once placed, it would require a majority vote of the people to pass.
If a ballot measure to eliminate the office of the directly elected mayor were approved, the city would need to redraw the current district map from four districts to five districts. This would require a specific process to be followed under state law.
The table below identifies the current status of Orange County cities that have a rotational mayor versus a directly elected mayor.
|
City |
Directly Elected |
Rotational Mayor |
General Law |
Charter City |
|
Aliso Viejo |
|
X |
X |
|
|
Anaheim |
X |
|
|
X |
|
Brea |
|
X |
X |
|
|
Buena Park |
|
X |
|
X |
|
Costa Mesa |
X |
|
X |
|
|
Cypress |
X |
|
|
X |
|
Dana Point |
|
X |
X |
|
|
Fountain Valley |
|
X |
X |
|
|
Fullerton |
|
X |
X |
|
|
Garden Grove |
X |
|
X |
|
|
Huntington Beach |
|
X |
|
X |
|
Irvine |
X |
|
|
X |
|
La Habra |
|
X |
X |
|
|
La Palma |
|
X |
X |
|
|
Laguna Beach |
|
X |
X |
|
|
Laguna Hills |
|
X |
X |
|
|
Laguna Niguel |
|
X |
X |
|
|
Laguna Woods |
|
X |
X |
|
|
Lake Forest |
|
X |
X |
|
|
Los Alamitos |
|
X |
|
X |
|
Mission Viejo |
|
X |
X |
|
|
Newport Beach |
|
X |
|
X |
|
Orange |
X |
|
X |
|
|
Placentia |
|
X |
|
X |
|
Rancho Santa Margarita |
X |
|
X |
|
|
San Clemente |
|
X |
X |
|
|
City |
Directly Elected |
Rotational Mayor |
General Law |
Charter City |
|
San Juan Capistrano |
|
X |
X |
|
|
Santa Ana |
X |
|
|
X |
|
Seal Beach |
|
X |
|
X |
|
Stanton |
X |
|
X |
|
|
Tustin |
X |
|
X |
|
|
Villa Park |
|
X |
X |
|
|
Yorba Linda |
|
X |
X |
|
|
Westminster |
X |
|
X |
|
FISCAL IMPACT
None.
LEGAL REVIEW
The City Attorney’s Office has reviewed as to form.
CONCLUSION
Consider the request and provide direction to staff.
ATTACHMENTS
None
REVIEWED BY
Erin Backs, Finance Director
Christian Bettenhausen, City Attorney
Christine Cordon, City Manager