Due to the city’s substantial growth since the current charter’s adoption, the Aumsville City Council appointed a charter committee to review and update the charter using the Model Charter for Oregon Cities and comparisons of other similar size city charters. After consideration of the committee’s recommendation and current operations of the city the council proposed a new modernized and efficient city government charter.

The new charter would:

• Form a council/city administrator form of government, as recommended by the Model Charter for Oregon Cities that have reached our size. The city of Aumsville’s current charter adopted in 1964, is a mayor/council form of government comprised of a mayor, five councilors, a municipal judge, and a city recorder. The council/city administrator form of government conforms to the current operations of the city where a professional administrator is on staff. A city manager and city administrator are the same position. The city administrator is the city executive body and the city council is the city legislative body;

• Increase the council from the current even number of six members to an odd number of seven members in case of a tie vote;

• No longer mandate the office of city recorder or municipal judge, however the council may create, abolish and combine these or other appointive offices;

• Update Chapter VI, Elections to conform to state law, continue city council nomination by petition and change nomination by filing fee to procedures prescribed by general ordinance, and update the Oath of Office language;

• Eliminate the current $5,000 debt limit and replace it with applicable limits set by state law;

• Delete several sections now preempted or otherwise covered adequately by state law including: Section 15, Journal; Section 16, Proceedings to be Public; Section 37, Condemnation; Section 40, Bids and Section 42, Torts;

• Add a contract liability provision; and

• Modernize, simplify and use gender neutral language in Chapter I, Boundaries; Chapter III, Form of Government; Chapter IV, Council; Chapter V, Powers and Duties of Officers; Chapter VII, Vacancies in Office and Chapter VIII, Ordinances.

Submittted by,

Mary L. Gatti, Deputy City Recorder

City of Aumsville