The Yucaipa City Council on Dec. 8 moved to continue consideration of resolutions that would call a special municipal referendum election and directed staff to include options to rescind the underlying ordinance and resolution at the next regular meeting.

Staff had presented two resolutions (2025-61 and 2025-62) to call a special municipal election consolidated with the California primary on June 2, 2026, and requested a budget adjustment of $200,000 to cover election costs. Mayor (speaker 3) and several council members questioned the timing and likely turnout for a special election held between major statewide contests, noting the petition signers would likely dominate the electorate. “With all the signatures that we’ve gotten before, those are the ones that go to the special elections and vote,” the mayor said during debate.

A member of the public (Roe Randolph) urged the council to avoid the $200,000 expense and review contracts and spending on the current agenda. The city attorney explained that if the council rescinded the prior ordinance and resolution in response to the petitions, a special election would not be necessary. To preserve options, the council voted to continue the item to the next meeting and include rescission of the resolution and ordinance as menu options, enabling the council to decide whether to call the election or rescind the prior actions and avoid the cost.

The motion to continue and add rescission options carried on a recorded vote. Legal staff and the clerk will prepare the revised agenda description and options for the next meeting so the council can deliberate with full information about costs and legal implications.

Next procedural steps: staff will place rescission and election-call options on the subsequent regular meeting agenda, and the council can take formal rescission there if it chooses.