News

Gov. Brewer signs City charter amendments

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Governor Jan Brewer has signed City's charter amendments

Governor Jan Brewer recently approved the eight charter amendments passed by the City of Prescott voters at November 8, 2011, election.

Summaries of the approved propositions are as follows:

Proposition 412 - vacancies in council and office of mayor

The council will fill the vacancies in its own membership and in the office of mayor, by: appointment for the unexpired term; or, appointment until the next november when council members are seated if the vacancy occurs more than thirty days before the nomination petition deadline for the primary election.

The nomination process provided by state election law shall be followed by candidates for such vacancy and shall be designated on the primary, and general if necessary, ballot as running for the short term.

Proposition 413 - city clerk

The city clerk department employees shall be appointed by and accountable to the city clerk. the clerk will report to the city council and be responsible for preparing the budget for establishment by council.

Proposition 414 - city attorney

The legal department will consist of a criminal and civil division. Department employees will be appointed by and accountable to the city attorney. the city attorney will report to the city council and be responsible for the operation of the legal department.

Proposition no. 415 - submission of estimates to council; scope of city manager's estimate

The city manager will submit to the council the estimates of each department and fund and his own personal report and recommendations for the probable expenditures of the city for the next fiscal year.

The city manager will also state the amount in detail required to meet all expenditures necessary for city purposes, including interest and sinking and outstanding indebtedness, if there be any; also estimates of the amount of income expected from all sources in each department and fund, and the amount, if any, required to be raised by taxation to cover such expenditures, interest and sinking fund.

Proposition no. 416 - preparation and tentative adoption of a budget; publication of budget and notice of meeting to fix tax levies

The council will set a budget of the estimated amounts required to pay the expenses of the city for the ensuing fiscal year.

The budget will show the total sum and the items allowed for every purpose. The budget, together with a notice that the council will meet for the purposes of making tax levies, will be published in accordance with state law once a week for at least two consecutive weeks following the tentative adoption of the budget.

Proposition no. 417 - publication of ordinances and resolutions

All ordinances, except those necessary for the immediate preservation of the peace, health or safety of the city, will be published at least two times in accordance with state law before they become effective.

Emergency ordinances necessary for the immediate preservation of the peace, health or safety of the city which have been passed by the necessary three-fourths vote of the members of the council become effective immediately, and will be published once in accordance with state law within ten (10) days after their passage.

Proposition no. 418 - sale of city property

Property known as watson lake and willow lake, and adjacent property, consisting of approximately eight hundred fifty (850) acres, acquired by the city from the chino valley irrigation district from bond proceeds, will not be sold by the city, and retained as open space and/or utilized for water supply and recreational purposes in perpetuity.

Proposition no. 419 - presiding officer; appointment; term; justice of peace as city judge

City court department employees will be appointed by and accountable to the city judge. the city judge will report to the city council and be responsible for the operation of the city court department. The city judge will prepare the budget for the city court department for submission to the city council, and the city court budget will be established by the city council.