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Astoria council zeros in on charter cleanups, delays structural changes to ballot
Summary
Councilors reviewed four proposed charter changes including vacancy replacement procedures and clarifying the city attorney's role, agreed to pair two language‑cleanup items for earlier council action, and left larger structural proposals such as adding at‑large seats for broader public discussion.
Astoria City Councilors at a work session on April 27 reviewed a packet of proposed charter amendments and signaled support for prioritizing two "language‑cleanup" items ahead of larger structural changes. City manager Andrew Spence told the council that decisions intended for the November ballot must be finalized by Aug. 14 and recommended limiting the council’s initial ballot effort to one or two amendments to streamline drafting and public outreach.
Councilors discussed four topics in the packet. The first would clarify the process for filling council vacancies so that remaining councilors could appoint replacements or decide on special elections if quorum is unavailable. The second would consolidate and clarify appointment and removal language for appointed officers and define the remit of the city attorney. "For something to be on the November ballot, we need to have those decisions by August 14," Spence said, urging the group to narrow focus.
Council consensus favored pairing the two language‑cleanup items (vacancy filling and officer appointments) and returning language to the council for a follow‑up discussion; staff proposed bringing those back for council consideration at the June 1 meeting. Several councilors said they support additional measures — such as adding two staggered at‑large council seats — but preferred broader public engagement before advancing structural changes. Councilor Adams described boards and commissions appointment reform as a top priority, saying that council consent for mayoral appointees would increase transparency and access.
Next steps: staff and the city attorney will draft clarified language for the initial two items and present it to council for further action and public feedback. Any charter amendments the council wishes to place on the November ballot must be formally approved in time for the statutory ballot‑title and submission deadlines.
