It is an objective of the 2017-2019 Council Goals to propose a City Charter amendment to the voters.  On June 21, 2017, the City Council adopted a resolution to establish a committee to consider and recommend Charter amendments to the voters by May 2018.

The City of Bend Charter establishes the governmental structure and procedures for the city.

The Committee is established to complete the following:
• Develop a recommendation on charter language changes for placing a measure on the ballot for a directly elected mayor.
• Consider and make an initial recommendation on whether to place a ward system measure on the ballot, including what type of ward system (number of wards, number of councilors from each ward, and/or a combination of ward and at-large positions).
• Provide a recommendation on removing all Council pay from the charter to be set by Council ordinance.
• If time allows and Council further directs, consider whether to recommend an additional measure be placed on the ballot related to the 2015 Model Charter (League of Oregon Cities).

The Committee includes:

Brent Landels
Don Leonard
Katy Brooks (resigned due to schedule conflict)
Stephanie Senner
Richard Ross
Kathleen Meehan Coop
Chad Sage
Dan Fishkin
Anne George
Bill Galaway
Angela Chisum

Bruce Abernethy, Council Liaison

Staff:
Eric King, City Manager
Mary Winters, City Attorney
Robyn Christie, City Recorder

Meeting Materials 

August 7, 2017
Agenda
Memo on Public Meetings
Comparison Chart
Presentation from Citizen Committee
Minutes

August 24, 2017
Agenda
Mayoral Position Matrix
Comparison Chart
Minutes

September 12, 2017
Agenda
Interview Team Questions
Committee Appointment Map
Minutes

September 26, 2017
Agenda
Ward Matrix
Minutes

October 10, 2017
Agenda
Minutes

October 24, 2017
Agenda
Draft ward maps
Minutes

November 14, 2017
Agenda
Draft Maps - updated
Minutes

November 28, 2017
Agenda 

December 4, 2017
Agenda

December 6, 2017 - presentation to Council at 5 p.m., Council Chambers
Presentation

December 20, 2017 - City Council Listening Session at 5 p.m., Council Chambers
Submitted messages:

Bradford

Galaway

Layman

Funke

Bickett

Moran

White

 Charter Review Resources

• City of Bend Charter

• Charter Review Committee Resolution

• League of Oregon Cities Model Charter

• Ward Electoral Systems in Oregon Cities, John Rehfus

• Bend City Governance: Community Opinions and Recommendations on Charter Review

• Livability Conference presentation on governance (Eric King and Dr. Phil Cooper)
• City Attorney's Office memo on Redistricting
  City Attorney's memo on Council Pay
• Council Rules
• Ward Interview Summary
  Maps
  • Neighborhood Association Map
  • Precinct Map
  • Committee Appointment Map
  • Preferred Map

  Studies

  • White Paper - Quiet Revolution in CA Local Government
  • California Voting Rights Act Reform Spurs Collaboration
  • WA Council Election by Wards or Districts
  • Seattle City Council Members

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The timeline to conduct a public process to consider and recommend Charter Amendments to the voters by May 2018 includes:

• Adopting a resolution to create a review committee including membership and project charter statement by June 2017 - complete

• Selecting committee by July 2017 - complete

• Holding committee meetings July-December 2017 

• Providing recommendation to Council by December 2017

• Council to adopt ballot title resolution by January 2018

• Public vote May 2018