Watsonville Municipal Code Art. XV General Provisions

SECTION 1500 EFFECTIVE DATE OF CHARTER.

For the purpose of nominating and electing the first Mayor and the first Councilmen, the provisions of the Charter shall become effective when the concurrent resolution of the Legislature approving this Charter is filed with the Secretary of State. For all other purposes, it shall become effective at 8:00 o’clock P.M. on the first Tuesday following the date of the election of the first Mayor and first Councilmen. At such time the terms of all elective officers of the City under the preceding Charter shall terminate.

SECTION 1501 FIRST ELECTION UNDER CHARTER.

The legislative body of the City of Watsonville in office at the time this Charter is approved by the Legislature of the State of California shall provide for the holding of the first election of officers under this Charter as required by Section 1303 of this Charter and shall canvass the votes and declare the results.

SECTION 1502 VALIDITY OF CHARTER.

If any provision of this Charter, or the application thereof to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the Charter and the application of such provision to other persons or circumstances shall not be affected thereby.

SECTION 1503 DEFINITIONS.

Unless the provisions or the context otherwise require, as used in this Charter:

(a) "Shall" is mandatory, and "may" is permissive;

(b) "City" is the City of Watsonville and "department," "board," "commission," "agency," "officer" or "employee" is a department, board, commission, agency, officer or employee, as the case may be, of the City of Watsonville;

(c) "Council" is the City Council of the City of Watsonville;

(d) A "member of the Council" means any one of the seven (7) members of the Council, including the Mayor;

(e) A "Councilman" or "Council Member" means any one of the seven (7) members of the Council, including the Mayor;

(f) "County" is the County of Santa Cruz;

(g) "State" is the State of California;

(h) "Newspaper of general circulation within the City" is as defined by Section 6000 of the Government Code of the State of California;

(i) "District" means any one of seven geographical areas of the City divided for the purpose of electing members of the Council.

(j) "Vacancy" means empty or unoccupied. A "vacancy" cannot begin or be in effect until there is no one in actual existence discharging the duties of the office. [§ 1503 Amended by voter petition initiative on 11/5/24. Measure W; Amended by voter petition initiative on 6/3/14. Measure H]

SECTION 1504 VIOLATIONS.

The violation of any provision of this Charter may be deemed a misdemeanor and be punishable upon conviction by a fine of not exceeding One Thousand ($1,000.00) Dollars or by imprisonment for a term of not exceeding six (6) months or by both such fine and imprisonment. [§ 1504 Amended by voter petition initiative on 11/5/24. Measure W]

SECTION 1505 AMENDMENTS TO CHARTER.

Amendments to this Charter shall be proposed and submitted to the electors of the City in the manner provided by the Constitution of the State of California.

SECTION 1506 PUBLICITY OF RECORDS.

All records and accounts of every office, department or other agency of the City shall be open to inspection by any person, any representative of an organization, or any representative of the press at all reasonable times and under reasonable regulations established by the City Manager, except records and documents the disclosure of which would tend to defeat the lawful purpose which they are intended to accomplish, or as otherwise exempted from disclosure pursuant to State law.

We do further certify and declare that the foregoing constitutes a true and correct statement of the actions and proceedings had by the City of Watsonville and the Board of Aldermen of said City, in the matter of the framing, proposal and submission of said proposed Charter for the government of the City of Watsonville, and in the calling, voting upon, and canvassing the returns and declaring the results of said election. [§ 1506 Amended by voter petition initiative on 11/5/24. Measure W]

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, We have hereunto set our hands and hereto affixed the seal of said City of Watsonville, this 19th day of February, 1960.

Louis W. Gluhan

Mayor of the City of

Watsonville

ATTEST: Thomas J. Rowan

City Clerk of the City of Watsonville

CHARTER AMENDMENTS

Charter Adopted on February 16, 1960 Election (5/11/1965): Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 112