What will the 12-member legislative council be responsible for?
- City Council members will set policy and have the legislative power to make appropriations and raise revenue by approving the city budget.
- City Council members will convene public meetings, gather input, debate and evaluate policy choices, and adopt laws or policies to reflect those choices; and
- Councilors will exercise quasi-judicial power to apply laws and policies.
Read more about the potential items that might come to city council.
How would separation of powers be balanced between the mayor and city council?
City Council would continue to exercise legislative power to make laws and approve the city’s budget. The mayor would not be a member of city council but could introduce laws and break tie votes on non-emergency ordinances.
What would happen in the event of a tie?
The mayor, who would be elected by the city at large, would have a tie-breaking vote.
How would the mayor's veto power change?
The mayor would have no veto power. The mayor would have a vote in matters before city council only to break a council tie. The mayor would no longer serve or regularly vote on city council.
What would be the role of the city administrator?
The city administrator would implement the laws approved by city council and manage city bureaus. The city administrator would hire, fire, and supervise bureau directors, except for the police chief and the city attorney, both of whom would be hired by the mayor, after approval by the city council.
| City Administrator | Mayor |
|---|---|
| Appoint, reassign, discipline, and remove all directors of bureaus and departments (except city attorney and chief of police). | Appoint the city administrator, city attorney and chief of police, with approval of city council. |
| Under direction from the mayor, prepare the budget (and any amendments) for the mayor to propose to city council. | Submit proposed budget (and any amendments) for city council adoption or approval. Authorize, negotiate, and execute contracts and intergovernmental agreements which are consistent with the budget approved by council. Approve settlements of less than $50,000. |
| Attend city council meetings, subcommittee meetings, and meetings of boards and commissions as they choose to attend. | Deliver the annual State of the City address to city council. Cast tie-breaking votes when necessary, issue ceremonial proclamations, and serve as the ceremonial head of the city. |
| Administer the affairs of the city, including controlling and administering city finances and adopting administrative rules. | Exercise executive and administrative power over bureaus. |
| Prepare and submit reports to council, such as reports advising council on the financial condition and needs of the city. | Establish and abolish advisory boards and commissions, as well as appoint board and commission members, who are then subject to council confirmation. |
Who would hire the city administrator, and how would their powers checked?
The city administrator would be hired by the mayor and confirmed by city council. The mayor would manage the city administrator, who could be fired by either the mayor or a vote of three quarters of City Council.
When will the city administrator be hired? Will that person be on board prior to Jan. 1, 2025?
We expect that the permanent city administrator will be hired in 2025, with an interim appointed this year.