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Council advances charter changes and creates salary‑review committee in first readings
Summary
Council gave first consideration to amendments to the city's Home Rule Charter — including lowering petition thresholds and removing a $25,000 spending line from the charter — and approved the first reading of an ordinance to add a salary review committee to review mayor and council pay.
The Clinton City Council advanced two ordinance items in first reading that would change local governance processes.
Councilmember Seeley presented an ordinance to amend the city's Home Rule Charter with at least two substantive changes: reduce the petition signature threshold for initiative/referendum from 1,500 to 1,000 and remove a $25,000 spending‑authority line from the charter so spending limits are governed by ordinance or state law. Committee members and council discussed the change to align the charter with state code and the practical advantages of handling spending thresholds in ordinance instead of charter language. Council agreed to add two sections to the next reading to clarify the petition and spending language.
Separately, Councilmember Davis moved an ordinance to amend Chapter 32 to create a salary review committee to review the mayor's and councilmembers' pay. Discussion noted the ordinance model was borrowed from Fort Dodge and that the committee's review would take effect after new incumbents are seated. Council approved the first reading as amended and voted in favor in roll call.
Staff and committee members said they will prepare the additional language and corrections for the second reading and that they will confirm consistency with state code where required.
