Yreka Municipal Code Ch. 2.04 City Council

Footnotes:

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For statutory provisions relating to the salary of councilmen, see Gov. C.A. § 36516. As to meetings of the council, see Gov. C.A. §§ 36805—36811.

(a) The offices of mayor and mayor pro tem are appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the city council. All members of the city council, including those serving as mayor and mayor pro tem, have equal votes on matters requiring council action.

(b) The duties of the mayor shall be as follows:

(1) Serve as the presiding officer for the meetings of the city council.

(2) Act as the official head of the city for all ceremonial purposes.

(3) Be authorized to call special meetings of the city council.

(4) Be recognized as the spokesperson for the city for council-approved policies or positions on an issue.

(5) Select a substitute for representation of the city when the mayor cannot attend.

(6) Call for issuance of proclamations and special orders of the day by the city council.

(7) Recommend subcommittees as appropriate for council approval.

(8) Execute documents on behalf of the city.

(9) Lead the council as an effective and cohesive working team.

(10) All other duties required and specified under the laws of the state of California and as specified within the this Code.

(c) The duties of the mayor pro tem shall be as follows:

(1) Perform the duties of the mayor if the mayor is absent or disabled.

(2) Chair council meetings at the request of the mayor.

(3) Represent the city at ceremonial functions at the request of the mayor.

(d) The term for the offices of mayor and mayor pro tem shall be two-years, running from the Tuesday after the general election in every even-numbered year. A person appointed to such position shall serve until the occurrence of any of the following: appointment of a qualified successor, vacating the office prior to the end of term, or no longer serving on the city council.

(Ord. No. 880, § 1, 3-18-2025)

(a) The city council will select one of its members as mayor and one of its members as mayor pro tem as follows:

(1) At the first regular council meeting after a general election, after declaration of election results for the offices of city council, and installation of members to the city council based on such election results, the council shall select a mayor and mayor pro tem for term of office by a simple majority of the membership of the council. If for any reason the declaration of election results is delayed beyond the first meeting in December, then the selection of mayor and mayor pro tem shall be made at the meeting at which the declaration of election results is made, and after the declaration and installation of the members elected.

(2) The process of selecting a new mayor and mayor pro tem shall be as follows:

(A) The presiding officer shall conduct the selection process.

(B) Each councilmember shall be allowed to submit nominations for consideration. Each member may nominate themself, or any number of candidates for consideration. After each member has had a reasonable opportunity to submit nominations, the presiding officer shall call for the closing of nominations. A motion to close nominations shall be voted on and shall require a simple majority of the council for passage.

(C) The presiding officer shall then allow the public to comment on the nominees for the office under consideration.

(D) The city clerk shall distribute ballots for tabulation of the vote for the office under consideration. Each councilmember may cast only one vote per round of voting.

(E) The city clerk shall collect the ballots from each councilmember after reasonable time has been provided to cast their vote for the office under consideration.

(F) The city clerk shall read aloud the name of the each councilmember then the name of the candidate voted for as stated on their ballot.

(G) A candidate who obtains three or more votes shall be declared to hold the office under consideration.

(H) In the event that no member received three votes on the first round of voting, those candidates who received two votes shall be considered and voted upon in a second round of voting. In the event that no member receives three votes on the second round of voting, all members of the council shall be nominated for a third round of voting. In the event that no member receives three votes in the third round of voting, the name of each councilmember desiring to serve for the office under consideration shall be placed on cards, which will then be sealed in separate envelopes, and a drawing shall occur for selection of a councilmember to serve the office under consideration for a six-month interim term. At the end of the six-month interim term, the city clerk shall place the selection of the office on the next regular meeting agenda, and the council shall consider nominations to serve the remainder of the term of office based on the process stated in section 2.04.020(a)(2).

(b) The selection of the office of mayor shall be selected first, and then the office of mayor pro tem shall be selected in the same manner as stated in section 2.04.020(a)(2). There shall be no restriction on a former mayor or mayor pro tem from again being selected to serve as mayor or mayor pro tem. A member currently serving as mayor may not be appointed as mayor pro tem.

(c) In the event of a vacancy of office of mayor or mayor pro tem prior to the expiration of the term of office, the council shall select a replacement for such office to serve the remainder of the term of office by a simple majority of the membership of the council. Such selection shall occur no later than at the regular meeting following such vacancy in the same manner as stated in section 2.04.020(a)(2).

(Ord. No. 880, § 2, 3-18-2025)

The mayor and/or mayor pro tem can be removed from such office at the discretion of the council. A motion to place the question of removal of such officer on the agenda may be made at any time, and requires a simple majority of the membership of the council. If successful, the question of removal shall be placed on the agenda at the next subsequent regular or special meeting as the first order of business. The question of removal shall require a simple majority of the membership of the council for passage, and shall have immediate effect. Selection of a replacement officer shall take place immediately thereafter following the process set forth in section 2.04.020(a)(2) and shall be included in the agenda for said meeting.

(Ord. No. 880, § 3, 3-18-2025)

This section and Sections 2.04.050 through 2.04.090 are enacted pursuant to Section 36514 of the Government Code, as added by Chapter 286 of the Statutes of 1965, authorizing the city council to provide by ordinance that each member of the council shall receive a prescribed salary, the amount of which is based upon the population of the city as determined by the estimates made by the State Department of Finance.

(Ord. 398 § 1, 1966).

As of August 18, 1966, the latest estimate of population of the city made by the department of finance is five thousand one hundred seventy-five.

(Ord. 398 § 2, 1966).

Each member of the city council shall receive, as salary, the sum of three hundred dollars per month, as prescribed in Section 36516(a)(1) for cities of up to and including thirty-five thousand in population, which shall be payable from and after April 1, 2004, at the same time and in the same manner as the salaries are paid to other officers and employees of the city.

(Ord. 773 § 1, 2003: Ord. 398 § 3, 1966).

Following any new and later estimate of population made by the department of finance placing the city in a population group other than that set forth in Section 2.04.060, the salary hereby payable to each member of the council shall be increased or decreased accordingly to equal the sum prescribed for that population group in Section 36514 of the Government Code, as added by Chapter 286 of the Statutes of 1965; provided, however, that the salary as so increased or decreased shall become payable 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. 398 § 4, 1966).

The salaries prescribed herein are and shall be exclusive of any amounts payable to each member of the council for reimbursement of actual and necessary expenses incurred by him in the performance of official duties for the city.

(Ord. 398 § 5, 1966).

Salaries prescribed in Section 2.04.060 shall be payable from and after the first of October, 1966, in accordance with the determination of the Attorney General of the state of California in Opinion 64-278 dated April 28, 1966, that a state of war exists within the meaning of Article XI, Section 5 of the California Constitution and Sections 53070 and 53071 of the Government Code pursuant to which any prohibition against increase in compensation during the term of any elective officer is suspended.

(Ord. 398 § 6, 1966).

Editor's note— Ord. No. 836, § 1, adopted Nov. 21, 2013, repealed § 2.04.100, which pertained to council vacancies and derived from Ord. 564, adopted in 1980.