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Committee reviews charter language on charter officers, police department and elections procedures
Summary
The committee examined Article 3 on charter officers (appointment, suspension and removal), affirmed the charter’s preservation of a municipal police department, and reviewed Article 4 election provisions, including candidate filing rules and canvassing board process.
The Charter Review Committee reviewed administrative and election sections of the draft charter, addressing appointment and removal procedures for charter officers, preservation of the municipal police department, and election filing and canvass procedures.
On Article 3, the panel covered the roles of charter officers — city manager, clerk and city attorney — and discussed the process for removal and suspension. Members asked whether suspension would be with or without pay; the city attorney said due process norms and individual employment contracts generally govern those details and suspension is usually with pay pending a hearing.
The group reviewed the city manager’s role as chief administrative officer with authority to hire and remove department heads and confirmed section 3.04 language. The attorney noted the charter language intentionally preserves a municipal police department and would prevent contracting with the sheriff without a voter‑approved charter change.
On Article 4, members discussed adopting state election law in the charter, candidate filing and oath requirements, and the limits on removing a candidate from a ballot absent a judicial challenge. The attorney cautioned that fixed short timelines for special elections may conflict with state requirements for mail‑in ballots and early voting; he agreed to double‑check deadlines such as the 81‑ and 96‑day windows mentioned in the draft.
The committee closed the session by scheduling the next meetings and adjourning.
