Item Coversheet
City of Independence
AGENDA ITEM COVER SHEET
BILL NO. 24-0272R

Agenda Title:

24-027 2R An ordinance calling for an election to amend the Charter of the City of Independence and providing for submission of the proposed Charter amendments to the qualified voters of the City of Independence for their approval at an election called and to be held on August 6, 2024.
Recommendations:

City staff recommends approval. 
Executive Summary:

This ordinance is the culmination of more than one year of work by the City Charter Review Commission, City Council, and City staff, to submit to the voters a set of comprehensive revisions to the City Charter.

Previous Activity:

On April 18th, 2022, the City Council approved Ordinance No. 19321, forming a seven-member Charter Review Commission with members individually appointed by one member each of the City Council.  On May 23rd, 2022, the City Council rescinded this ordinance and directed the City Manager to research best practices for establishing a City Charter Review Commission and to prepare a resolution for consideration by the City Council based on these findings.

 

On August 1st, 2022, the City Council approved Resolution No. 6846, which established a nine-member City Charter Review Commission. On October 17th, 2022, the City Council approved Resolution No. 6867 to clarify appointments made by the Mayor as well as when the City Council would approve members of the City Charter Review Commission.

 

On December 5th, 2022, the City Council approved Resolution NO. 6877, which confirmed the appointments of the City Charter Review Committee members.

 

Between January and November 2023, the City Charter Review Commission spent nearly 600 person hours reviewing the City Charter and making recommendations to update and improve the City Charter. City Charter Commission Chairwoman Jackie Sommer presented the final recommendations to the City Council at a Study Session held on January 8th, 2024. The Commission also presented a list of topics that they did not include in their Charter amendment recommendations, but that they felt were worthy of separate consideration by the City Council in the future.

 

On February 8th, 2024, the City Council convened for a Work Session to discuss the recommendations made by the Charter Review Commission. Also discussed at this meeting were recommendations made by Councilmembers Fears and McCandless, who performed a thorough review of the comprehensive list of recommendations made by the Charter Review Commission on behalf of the full City Council.

 

On March 11, 2024, the City Council met in a Study Session to finalize their recommended amendments to the City Charter as well as this ordinance. 

Background:

If approved, this ordinance would propose six different amendments to the Independence City Charter for voter consideration at the August 6th, 2024 election.
Department:          LawContact Person:          Jeremy Cover


REVIEWERS:
DepartmentAction
City Clerk DepartmentApproved

Council Action:          Council Action:         

ATTACHMENTS:
DescriptionType
Charter RedlineBackup Material
Charter One PageBackup Material
Charter Revisions proposed ordinance Ordinance
Charter Revisions one page by Questions 3.31.24Ordinance