Oxnard council adopts staff plan on city treasurer duties after court ruling; unions and residents voice concern

After a five‑year legal fight that reached the Court of Appeal, the Oxnard City Council on Feb. 18 adopted staff‑recommended ordinance changes that transfer several operational duties tied to the city treasurer’s office to other city officials and managers.

The action followed an appellate ruling that found some previously adopted city ordinances went too far and effectively unelected the treasurer. The court’s judgment restored Molina’s status as the elected city treasurer but — and this is key — the same appellate opinion and the judgment also made explicit which duties the city could lawfully reassign by ordinance. City staff presented a narrow package of changes that reflected the court’s direction: shifting the city’s collector duties and certain warrant‑payment procedures to other officials (staff recommended the city’s police chief for collector responsibilities and an assistant city treasurer/finance staff signature arrangement for warrant payments), while leaving Molina with statutorily mandated functions such as preparing the monthly treasurer’s report.

Staff described the changes as a direct implementation of the appellate decision’s narrow authorization. The city attorney explained the council has authority to revise how warrant payment and…