HomeMy WebLinkAboutR-2019-113 Charter Amendment; Proposition to Abolish Council-Manager Form of Government; Special ElectionA RESOLUTION
RESOLUTION NO. R-2019-113
of the City Council of the City of Yakima, Washington, providing for the
submission to the voters of the City of Yakima, at a special election to be
held therein on February 11, 2020, of a Proposition on whether Articles I,
II, IV, VI, VII, VIII, XIII, XIV, and XV of the Charter of the City of Yakima
should be amended to abandon and abolish the Council -Manager form of
government and adopt the Mayor -Council form of government; making
ancillary and corrective amendments throughout the Charter to
accommodate the change in the form of government; and requesting the
Yakima County Auditor to call a special election.
WHEREAS, Chapters 35.18 and 35 22 of the Revised Code of Washington (RCW)
authorizes first class cities of the State of Washington to amend and revise their charters to
abandon and abolish the Council -Manager form of government and adopt the Mayor -Council form
of government, upon approval by a majority of the qualified voters of the city voting in a special
election called for that purpose, and
WHEREAS, an amendment of the charter may be initiated by the City Council through the
passing and approval of a resolution directing that a proposition be submitted to the qualified
voters in the City on whether the City should adopt an amended charter abandoning and
abolishing the Council -Manager form of government and adopting the Mayor -Council form of
government pursuant to amended City Charter Articles I, II, IV, VI, VII, VIII, XIII, XIV, and XV, with
ancillary amendments throughout the City Charter to accommodate the change in the form of
government; and
WHEREAS, the City Council desires to hold a special election in the City of Yakima on
February 11, 2020, for the purpose of submitting to the qualified voters of the City the proposition
of whether the City of Yakima should abandon and abolish the Council -Manager form of
government and adopt the Mayor -Council form of government pursuant to amended Charter
Articles I, II, IV, VI, VII, VIII, XIII, XIV, and XV, with ancillary amendments throughout the City
Charter to accommodate the change in the form of government, and
WHEREAS, the City Council finds and determines that the best interests and general
welfare of the City of Yakima would be served by submitting to the qualified voters in the City the
proposition of whether the City of Yakima should abandon and abolish the Council -Manager form
of government and adopt the Mayor -Council form of government, now, therefore
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF YAKIMA:
1 The proposition to be submitted at the special election shall be in the form of a ballot title
as follows
PROPOSITION NO 1
ADOPTION OF AMENDMENTS TO THE CHARTER OF THE CITY OF YAKIMA TO
ABANDON AND ABOLISH THE COUNCIL-MANAGER FORM OF GOVERNMENT AND
ADOPT THE MAYOR -COUNCIL FORM OF GOVERNMENT WITHIN THE CITY OF
YAKIMA, AND MAKE FURTHER AMENDMENTS COMMENSURATE THEREWITH
1
PROPOSITION NO. 1 concerns an amendment of the City of Yakima Charter. This measure
would amend Charter Articles I, II, IV, VI, VII, VIII, XIII, XIV, and XV to abandon and abolish the
Council -Manager form of government and adopt the Mayor -Council form of government. Adoption
of the proposition will also make ancillary amendments throughout the Charter to accommodate
the change in the form of government. Should this proposition be approved?
YES . []
NO. . [_]
2 The City Clerk is authorized and directed to file a certified copy of this resolution with the
Yakima County Auditor
3 The Yakima County Auditor is requested to call and conduct a special election to be held
in the City of Yakima on February 11, 2020, for the purpose of submitting to the qualified
voters of the City of Yakima the proposition set forth in Section 1 above
4 Severability If any section, sentence, clause or phrase of this resolution should be held
to be invalid or unconstitutional by a court of competent jurisdiction, such invalidity or
unconstitutionality shall not affect the validity or constitutionality of any other section,
sentence, clause or phrase of this resolution
ADOPTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL this 19th day of November 2019.
ATTEST
any
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Sonya Cldar Tee, City Clerk r'
•
APPROVED AS TO FORM
, 12/4 6/.
Jeff Gufter, City Attorney
2
1
ITEM TITLE:
SUBMITTED BY:
BUSINESS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
YAKIMA, WASHINGTON
AGENDA STATEM ENT
Item No. 15.
For Meeting of: November 19, 2019
Resolution providing for the submission to the voters of the City of
Yakima, at a special election to be held therein on February 11,
2020, of a Proposition on whether the Charter of the City of Yakima
should be amended to abandon and abolish the Council -Manager
form of government and adopt the Mayor -Council form of
government; and requesting the Yakima County Auditor to call a
special election
Jeff Cutter, City Attorney
Ryan Bleek, Assistant City Attorney
SUMMARY EXPLANATION:
On November 5, 2019, the Council directed staff to prepare any and all materials required to put
a measure to amend the Yakima City Charter on the February 11, 2020 ballot as part of a special
election. Included is a resolution and proposed Charter amendment as prepared by City Legal, a
separate resolution and proposed Charter amendment as prepared by a community member and
a third proposed Charter amendment prepared by the same community member on November
14, 2019.
ITEM BUDGETED: NA
STRATEGIC PRIORITY: NA
APPROVED FOR SUBMITTAL BY THE CITY MANAGER
RECOMMENDATION:
ATTACHMENTS:
Description Upload Date Type
O City Charter amendment city legal clean 11/14/2019 Co4er Memo
O City Charter amendment city legal redline 11/14/2019 Co4er Memo
O community 11/14/2019 Backup Material
member resolution and charter amendments
D Differences between proposed charter amendments 11/14/2019 Backup Material
2
D community member wrcsion 2 11/14/2012 Ge‘cr Memo
rbfferencobb between propnLod charier amendments and
11i14/2019 Ge‘cr Memo
communly member ‘orb4on 2