Groveland council declines term-extension proposal, refers manager-removal charter change to review committee

On June 18 the Groveland City Council discussed two draft charter amendments presented by Interim City Attorney Richard Geller. The first draft would have extended the terms of office for the District 2 and District 4 councilmembers to three years so those seats would return to the four-year staggered cycle; the second draft would have removed charter language allowing the City Manager to demand a public hearing prior to a Council vote on removal.

Council Members Shylkofski, Carroll, Vice Mayor Gaines and Mayor Keith Keogh expressed concern about changing the terms for Districts 2 and 4, citing voter intent and the prior recommendation of the Charter Review Committee. The Council reached consensus not to move forward with the proposed term-extension ordinance.

Regarding the proposal to remove the City Manager’s right to demand a hearing, Geller explained that removing that language would not prevent any removal from occurring at a public meeting or from being subject to public comment requirements. Council members agreed the matter should be reviewed further by the Charter Review Committee rather than advanced immediately and directed staff accordingly.

Attachment materials included draft ordinance text and sample ballot language for the term-extension concept and the manager-removal concept, and a draft referendum timeline outlining steps if Council later chooses to place a measure on the November 3, 2026 ballot. No referendum was called at the workshop; the Council referred the manager-removal question to the Charter Review Committee and declined to advance the term-extension measure.