Azusa Municipal Code Div. 1 Generally

(a) Commencing with the November 5, 2024 General Municipal Election, the city council shall consist of five city councilmembers, all of whom shall be elected at the time and in the manner provided by law. The office of mayor in the City of Azusa shall cease to be a separately-elected office and shall become an appointive office, and the city council of five members shall annually choose one of its members to act as mayor, through those rules and procedures it may prescribe by ordinance or resolution.

(b) The successors of all initial officers will be elected by the city electors at a general municipal election.

(Code 1971, § 2.04.001; Ord. No. 2024-01, § 2, 3-18-24)

(a) By-district elections. Pursuant to California Government Code § 34886, commencing with the November 5, 2024 General Municipal Election, members of the city council of the City of Azusa shall be elected by-district in five single-member districts.

(1) Members of the city council shall be elected in the electoral districts established by subsection (b) of this section and subsequently reapportioned as provided by state law. Elections shall take place "by-district" as that term is defined in California Government Code § 34871, meaning one councilmember shall be elected from each district, by the voters of that district alone.

(2) A councilmember elected or appointed to represent a district must reside in that district and be a registered voter in that district, and any candidate for city council must reside in, and be a registered voter in, the district in which he or she seeks election at the time nomination papers are issued.

(3) Termination of residency in a district by a councilmember shall create a vacancy for that city council district unless a substitute residence within the district is immediately declared and established within 30 days after the termination of residency.

(4) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, the councilmembers elected at-large and in office at the time this section takes effect shall continue in office until the expiration of the term to which he or she was elected. In the event a vacancy occurs before the expiration of the at-large elected term of a councilmember in office at the time this section takes effect, a person who is appointed or elected by special election to fill such vacancy may reside anywhere within the corporate boundaries of the city. A person appointed or elected to fill such a vacancy shall hold the office in accordance with state law.

(b) City council districts and district elections. All five councilmembers shall be elected on a "by-district" basis from the council districts shown and numbered on the map titled 'City of Azusa District Map' attached as Exhibit A, a copy of which shall be on file in the city clerk's office. In 2024, and every four years thereafter, the following three city council districts shall be elected by-district: district 2; district 4; and district 5. In 2026, and every four years thereafter, the following two city council districts shall be elected by-district: district 1 and district 3.

(c) Amendment of district boundaries. Pursuant to California Elections Code § 21601, as it may be amended from time to time, the city council shall adjust the boundaries of any or all of the districts following each decennial federal census to ensure that the districts are in compliance with all applicable provisions of law.

(Ord. No. 2024-01, § 3, 3-18-24)

Editor's note— Ord. No. 2024-01, § 3, adopted March 18, 2024, repealed the former § 2-27, and enacted a new § 2-27 as set out herein. The former § 2-27 pertained to mayor's term and derived from Code 1971, § 2.04.002.

Each city councilmember shall hold office for four years from the Tuesday succeeding his election and until his successor is elected and qualifies.

(Code 1971, § 2.03.003)

The city council shall hold its meetings in the Civic Auditorium of the city, 213 E. Foothill Blvd., Azusa; provided, however, that the council may order a meeting to be held at another location if necessary or convenient for the conduct of city business. The council shall, by resolution, set the day and time for council meetings.

(Code 1971, § 2.04.010)

Each member of the city council shall receive a salary of $250.00 per month, payable each month on or about the last day of such month, and subject to such change as may be provided by Government Code § 36516.

(Code 1971, § 2.04.030)

Editor's note— Ord. No. 2024-01, § 4, adopted March 18, 2024, repealed § 2-31, which pertained to mayor's compensation and derived from Code 1971, § 2.04.040.

The appointment of persons to and the removal of members from the planning commission, parks and recreation commission, cultural and historic preservation commission, personnel board, library commission and such other bodies as the council may designate as a board or commission shall be in accordance with the following procedures:

(1) At least ten working days prior to selection of a person to fill a vacancy on a board or commission, the council shall announce the vacancy and shall establish a period for the filing of applications by persons interested in filling the vacancy.

(2) All persons interested in filling the vacancy, including incumbents, shall file an application on a form approved by the council within the designated filing period. A person may file one application for all vacancies which may occur on particular boards or commissions within the calendar year that the application is received, provided that a new application must be filed for vacancies in succeeding calendar years.

(3) Following the end of the filing period described in subsection (1), the city council may interview the candidates in a manner as it may establish from time to time, and, the mayor of the city with a majority vote of the city council, shall appoint a person from the applications submitted and interviews who, in their judgment, is best qualified to fill the vacancy.

(4) Members of boards and commissions appointed by the mayor of the city with a majority vote of the city council shall serve at the pleasure of the mayor and council and may be removed from office at any time without cause by a majority vote of the council.

(5) A board member or commissioner's seat will be deemed vacant whenever such board member or commissioner, without excuse, misses three consecutive meetings or misses one-third or more of all regular meetings within any six-month period. To obtain an excused absence, commissioners must notify commission staff, who will then inform the city clerk's office. Attendance of less than 50 percent of any meeting will be counted as an absence.

(6) All board members or commissioners are required to complete, as required by Government Code Section 53235, Assembly Bill 1234 Ethics Training within 60 days of being appointed, and every other year thereafter. Failure to complete AB 1234 Ethics Training may result in removal from the board or commission by a majority vote of the council.

(7) Commission or board members shall hold office until their reappointment or until their successors have been appointed and have qualified. If a vacancy shall occur other than by expiration of term, it shall be filled by appointment for the unexpired portion of the term, pursuant to this section.

(Code 1971, § 2.04.050; Ord. No. 94-06, §§ 1—3, 7-18-94; Ord. No. 05-05, § 1, 5-2-05; Ord. No. 2023-05, § 2, 4(Exh. A), 10-16-23)

If the services of a commission, board, or other reviewing body previously appointed by the city council are required but the reviewing body no longer exists because of a lack of membership or the body has been dissolved, the city council may appoint another existing reviewing body, including the city council itself, to perform the required duties.

(Ord. No. 99-019, § 1, 11-15-99)