Charter review on course

All of the Charter Review Committee’s recommendations, even if approved by the City Council, must still go to a vote of the people in November—probably as separate ballot measures, with one covering the non-controversial, language-cleanup components.

The item likely to generate the most debate, raising councilmembers’ per-meeting pay from $15, resulted in split opinions on the part of committee members. Some wanted it written into the charter that elected officials would get paid an amount automatically set by state government code based on population—perhaps as much as $500 a month.

Forcing councilmembers to vote themselves raises, said committee member Kimberlee Candela, “puts a ridiculous amount of pressure on these councilmembers.”

But retired City Manager Fred Davis, who is chairing the committee, said that, especially since voters have twice rejected raises for councilmembers, “we’d be better off if we did require an ordinance” so it would be out in the open for public comment.

Ultimately, the committee tentatively decided to go with the state-set remuneration but also require the rates to be adopted by an ordinance of the council.

Continuing down the list of potential changes, the committee decided to reject the idea of permitting people to run for council who don’t live within the city limits. “The state law doesn’t allow for it,” Davis explained.

However, Scott Huber, a school trustee who lives in Butte Creek Canyon, continued to urge the committee to allow people with business or personal interests in Chico at least to serve on commissions.

“There are many of us who consider ourselves Chicoans,” Huber said. “Half of Chico lives outside Chico.”

With opinions split, the committee tabled the item for further discussion.

Prompted in part by a letter from Chico resident Robert Speer, who is also senior editor of the Chico News & Review, the committee again considered whether the mayor should be elected and/or have greater powers than the rest of the council.

The members unanimously rejected the idea, for various reasons. Some felt it wouldn’t be fair for someone to run for mayor, lose, and not be able to have a seat on the council. Others thought it would undermine the rest of the council by taking the power of mayor selection away from them.

The committee also nixed an idea from the Chico Police Department to set minimum staffing ratios.

The committee will meet again on March 26 at 1 p.m.