Ballot Measure No. 24-97 creates a new City Charter. The current Charter was passed in 1965 and other than for tax measures has not been reviewed and revised since that time. The Hubbard City Council believes that the existing Charter needs revisions. On August 13, 2002, the City Council passed Hubbard City Resolution No. 348-2002 proposing the adoption of a new City Charter for the City of Hubbard. A charter can be adopted only by vote of the public.

Unlike the current Charter, the new Charter does not include provisions which have been pre-empted or are better addressed by State law. For example, it eliminates provisions concerning condemnation. It grants general powers to the City and deletes detailed specific powers. It provides a $5,000 public improvement bid requirement, replacing the existing $2,000 bid requirement and defines qualifications for elective and appointive City officers.

The Council has used the Model Charter for Oregon Cities prepared by the University of Oregon’s Bureau of Governmental Research as its guide in updating the Charter and making it more responsive to the 21st Century. The City Council subscribes to the language found in the Forward of the Model Charter which states that a charter should be “limited to essential basic provisions that leave to the people of a city and their elected representatives maximum leeway in making policy choices about city government.”

The text of the proposed new Charter follows. A copy of the current Charter may be obtained by contacting the Hubbard City Recorder’s office at (503) 981-9633.

Submitted by

Donald Thwing, Mayor, on behalf of

Hubbard City Council