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Council debates which department heads need confirmation, mayoral removal powers and role of charter commissions
Summary
Councilmembers debated whether confirmations should cover all department directors or only key positions, whether the mayor should retain unilateral removal authority for directors (especially the law director), and how charter-established commissions should be appointed.
During Jan. 25 committee review of proposed charter language on departments and appointments, council members and commissioners discussed three interlocking items: which department directors should require council confirmation, whether the mayor should be able to remove directors without council approval, and the legal and practical structure for appointing the city's next Charter Review Commission.
Confirmation versus mayoral control
- Which appointments require confirmation: The CRC draft lists a subset of "major" department heads that historically have required council confirmation (for example, law, finance, planning); council members debated extending confirmation to additional…
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