Chowchilla Municipal Code Ch. 2.04 City Council

The city council shall from time to time set by resolution the time, day(s) and location of all regular city council meetings.

(Ord. 338-82 § 1, 1982)

All notices of special meetings of the city council shall be delivered personally to the members of the city council in the time, form and manner required by law.

(Prior code § 2-6)

The city council shall from time to time set by resolution the order of business and related procedure for the conducting of regular city council meetings.

(Ord. 338-82 § 2, 1982)

The proceedings of the city council shall be governed under Robert's Rules of Order on all matters pertaining to parliamentary law, but no ordinance, resolution, proceeding or other action of the board, shall be invalidated by the failure or omission to observe or follow such rules.

(Prior code § 2-10)

No member of the city council or other person shall use profane, vulgar or boisterous language at any council meeting or otherwise interrupt the proceedings or refuse to be seated or keep quiet when ordered to do so by the mayor or mayor pro tempore. It shall be the duty of the chief of police, upon order of the presiding officer, to eject any such member or person from the meeting room.

(Prior code § 2-11)

A. At the beginning of each term the mayor shall appoint the following committees, to consist of one member each, who shall be known as "commissioners":

1. Commissioner of streets, sidewalks and parks;

2. Commissioner of health and safety;

3. Commissioner of light and water;

4. Commissioner of fire and police,

B. The mayor shall be commissioner of finance.

(Prior code § 2-7)

The commissioners of finance, streets, sidewalks and parks and water and light shall constitute the auditing committee, which shall examine and approve all bills in writing before the same may be paid.

(Prior code § 2-16)

All business brought before the city council shall be referred to the appropriate commissioner for his investigation, report and recommendation in reference thereto before any action shall be taken thereon by the council as a whole, except when the business in question is of special urgency or of such a nature that it may be disposed of immediately. Upon a four-fifths' vote of the city council, any commissioner shall be required to report his recommendations in writing.

(Prior code § 2-8)

Ordinances may be given their first reading upon their introduction by reading the title only. Second reading shall be in full, unless dispensed with by unanimous vote, and the third reading upon final passage of the ordinance may be by title only, unless a full reading is again requested by a majority of the members.

(Prior code § 2-12)

In case a quorum should not be present at any meeting and important business remains to be transacted or disposed of, any two members of the city council may cause a written notice to be served personally upon the other members directing their immediate attendance, whereupon the members receiving such written notice shall be required to attend immediately, except in case of sickness or death in their immediate family.

(Prior code § 2-13)

Each member of the city council shall receive a salary of nine hundred fifty dollars per month as prescribed in section 36516 of the California Government Code for cities up to and including thirty-five thousand in population. Following any amendments to the Government Code that permit an increase or require a decrease in the salary to councilmembers, this section shall be amended to reflect the maximum amount of compensation permitted under California law. Provided, however, that the salary as so increased shall become effective as to all members only on and after the date upon which one or more members of the council become eligible therefore by virtue of beginning a new term of office following the next succeeding general municipal election held in the city.

The mayor shall receive additional compensation of six hundred fifty dollars per month from May 22, 2025, until after the 2026 municipal election.

(Ord. 400-96 § 1, 1996: prior code § 2-13.1)

(Ord. No. 525-25A, § 1, 4-22-2025; Ord. No. 531-25, § 1, 7-22-2025)

Following any new and later estimate of population made by the state Department of Finance placing the city in a population group other than that set forth in Section 2.04.110, the salary payable to each member of the council shall be increased or decreased accordingly to equal the maximum sum prescribed for that population group in Section 36516 of the Government Code; provided, however, that the salary as so increased shall become effective as to all members only on and after the date upon which one or more members of the council become eligible therefor by virtue of beginning a new term of office following the next succeeding general municipal election held in the city.

(Ord. 400-96 § 2, 1996: prior code § 2-13.2)

Any member of the city council who refuses to attend four consecutive meetings when neither sick nor absent from the city at the time such meetings are held shall be deemed to have forfeited his title to office, and the remaining members of council or a majority thereof may cause an action to be brought in the superior court to have his office declared vacant.

(Prior code § 2-14)

The minutes of the city council or journal of their proceedings required to be kept by the clerk shall be neatly typewritten in a special looseleaf journal book, with each of the different kinds of business transacted set off in paragraphs with proper subheads.

(Prior code § 2-15)

A. Commencing with the general municipal election now scheduled for November, 1995, the general municipal elections for the city shall be held on the same date as the statewide general elections, being the first Tuesday after the first Monday of November of each even-numbered year.

B. Those city officers, including council members whose terms of office would have, prior to the adoption of the ordinance codified in this section, expired in December, 1995, following the election in November, 1995, shall, instead, continue in office until no later than December, 1996, or until their successors are elected and qualified.

C. Those city officers, including council members whose terms of office would have, prior to the adoption of said ordinance, expired in December, 1997, following the election in November, 1997, shall, instead, continue in office until no later than December, 1998, or until their successors are elected and qualified.

D. All procedural requirements, including the dates of any notice, canvass of votes, or certification of election, shall comply with those for the statewide general election.

E. Commencing with the November 5, 2024 General Municipal Election, the city council shall consist of four city council members, all of whom shall be elected at the time and in the manner provided by law.

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

G. By-District Elections.

a. Pursuant to California Government Code section 34886, commencing with the November 5, 2024 General Municipal Election, the mayor will be elected at-large for a two-year term.

b. Pursuant to California Government Code section 34886, commencing with the November 5, 2024 General Municipal Election, members of the City Council of the City of Chowchilla shall be elected by-district in four single-member districts with a separately elected at-large mayor serving a two-year term.

1. Members of the city council shall be elected in the electoral districts established by subdivision (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 section 34871, meaning one council member shall be elected from each district, by the voters of that district alone.

2. A council member 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 council member shall create a vacancy for that city council district unless a substitute residence within the district is immediately declared and established within thirty days after the termination of residency.

4. Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, the council members 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 council member 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.

c. City Council Districts and District Elections. All four council members shall be elected on a "by-district" basis from the council districts shown and numbered on the map titled '401' 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 two city council districts shall be elected by-district: District 3 and District 4. In 2026, and every four years thereafter, the following two city council districts shall be elected by-district: District 1 and District 2.

d. Amendment of District Boundaries. Pursuant to Elections Code section 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. 389-95 § 1, 1995)

(Ord. No. 521-24, § 2, 6-11-2024)