Charter focus of study session

City Council members discussed proposed changes to the city’s Charter, including what triggers a vote of the people, during a study session Monday.

The proposed recommendations comes from a 15-citizen member Charter Review Commission the council assembled to review the Charter, said Shirley Dettloff, vice chairwoman of the commission. The commission has been meeting twice a week since April to propose updated to the charter, she said.

The charter hasn’t been reviewed since the 1960s.

“This is the most important document that guides our city in their decisions,” Dettloff said, adding that Huntington Beach “has changed dramatically since the city charter was made.”

The proposals will have to be approved by the City Council and then put to a vote of the people in November.

The proposed updates would increase the amount needed to trigger a vote of the people, known as Measure C, from a $100,000 to $161,000 development cost on city-owned or operated park or beach.

The amount would also be tied to the Los Angeles/Orange County Regional Consumer Price Index.

The commission also recommended the city administrator become the city manager and the position become responsible for hiring and firing of department heads.

Cal State Fullerton professor Raphael Sonenshein, the commission’s consultant, said the council should not be taking their time doing the day-to-day administration work.

“You are the authority in the city, but you shouldn’t be the administrators,” Sonenshein said.

The proposed revisions also give the council the power to appoint the city treasurer, clerk or attorney if there were no qualified candidates until the next election and bumped up the qualifications. Candidates would need a higher level of education, management experience and appropriate certification.

Councilman Gil Coerper said he likes some of the proposed revisions, but is “adamantly opposed” to other portions.

The council is expected to continue discussing the proposed changes and begin making straw votes at its May 3 meeting, before taking a final vote.