HomeMy WebLinkAboutAGENDA REPORT 2019 1002 REG CCSA ITEM 09ECITY OF MOORPARK, CALIFORNIA
City Council Meeting
of October 2, 2019
ACTION Directed staff to return to Council
to discuss the number of Council Districts
and term limits following the
November 2020 Election. BY B.Garza.
E. Consider Direction to Staff Regarding the Placement of Potential Ballot Measures
on a Future Election to Consider Reaffirming or Repealing a Directly-Elected
Mayoral Position, and Establishing Councilmember Term Limits. Staff
Recommendation: Consider the report and provide direction to staff. (Staff: Ky
Spangler)
Item: 9.E.
MOORPARK CITY COUNCIL
AGENDA REPORT
TO: Honorable City Council
FROM: Ky Spangler, City Clerk
DATE: 10/02/19 Regular Meeting
SUBJECT: Consider Direction to Staff Regarding the Placement of Potential Ballot
Measures on a Future Election to Consider Reaffirming or Repealing a
Directly-Elected Mayoral Position, and Establishing Councilmember
Term Limits
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
In April 2019, the City Council adopted Ordinance No. 467 transitioning the City’s
method of election from an “at-large” system to a “by-district” format. As part of the
transition to a District-based election system, it was requested that staff return with a
report to consider a potential measure on a future ballot asking citizens to re-visit their
desire to directly elect their Mayor. Additionally there was interest expressed in
exploring a potential measure instituting term limits for members of the Moorpark City
Council.
DISCUSSION
In June 1988, the City Council adopted a Resolution placing a Council-initiated measure
on the ballot for voter consideration during the November 8, 1988 election. The
measure (Measure D) asked Moorpark voters two questions:
• Shall the electors elect a Mayor and four City Councilmen?; and
• Shall the term of office of Mayor be two years or four years?
Of the 8,254 ballots cast in response to the question of directly electing a Mayor, 6,045
voted yes (73.2%) while 2,209 voted no (26.8%). Of the 8,066 ballots cast in response
to term length, 6,418 or 79.6% voted for a two-year term while 1,648 or 20.4% voted for
a four-year term. It should be noted that not all voters cast a ballot with respect to the
question of term length.
Item: 9.E.
117
Honorable City Council
10/02/2019 Regular Meeting
Page 2
Measure D went into effect for the 1990 General Municipal Election, resulting in Paul
Lawrason, Jr. becoming Moorpark’s first directly-elected Mayor. Mr. Lawrason, Jr.
served three two-year terms (1990-1996) as Mayor.
Elected Mayors in the County of Ventura
Of the 10 cities in Ventura County, four have directly-elected Mayors, all serving two-
year terms (Ojai, Oxnard, Moorpark, and Simi Valley). Ojai was the most recent city to
make this transition, doing so in 2014, with the voters also selecting a two-year term for
its directly-elected position. The six remaining cities in the County elect their
Councilmembers “at-large,” and these City Councils annually or biennially consider
nomination and appointment of a Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem from their sitting members.
It should be noted that, in 2018, the City of Ojai placed a Council-initiated measure
(Measure J) on the November ballot asking voters if they wished to repeal the previous
measure that established the directly-elect mayoral position. By a margin of 65.4% to
34.5%, voters reaffirmed their prior decision to elect their Mayor directly and maintain
the two-year term.
Staff is seeking direction on whether the Council wishes to consider a measure
regarding the manner of mayoral election at this time.
Term Limits
Of the 10 cities in Ventura County, three cities (Camarillo, Thousand Oaks, and
Ventura) have established terms limits through voter-approved measures. Camarillo is
the most recent city to approve term limits, in 2018, while Thousand Oaks approved
term limits in 2012, and Ventura approved limits in 2016.
The Simi Valley City Council has previously considered staff presentations in 2011,
2015, and 2018 regarding Councilmember term limits; however, to date, a ballot
measure has not been placed before the voters. Additionally, in the City of Oxnard, a
citizen-initiated term limits measure has been submitted to the City Clerk’s Office, and
proponents are currently collecting signatures in an effort to qualify the measure for the
ballot.
Staff is seeking direction on whether the Council wishes to consider a term limits
measure at this time.
118
Honorable City Council
10/02/2019 Regular Meeting
Page 3
Timing of a proposed Ballot Measure(s)
The County of Ventura Elections Division will conduct two consolidated elections in
2020; the March 3, 2020 Presidential Primary, and the November 3, 2020 Presidential
Election. Ventura County cities will consolidate their General Municipal Elections with
other elections conducted by the Elections Division on these dates.
Each election has a prescribed calendar of activities developed by the County to comply
with various provisions of the California Elections Code (E.C.) including such milestones
as deadlines for candidate nomination filings, submittal of ballot measures, and periods
for the filing of arguments and rebuttals to proposed measures.
The table below highlights key dates associated with ballot measures proposed for the
March and November elections:
Last day to request consolidation
(Election minus 88 days)
(E.C. 9241, 10403)
December 6, 2019 August 7, 2020
Measure(s) to City Attorney to prepare
Impartial Analysis
(Election minus 87)
(E.C. 9280)
December 7, 2019 August 8, 2020
Arguments filing period.
(E.C. 9282, 9295)
Not available Not available
Rebuttals filing period.
(E.C. 9285, 9295)
Not available
Not available
Pursuant to the Elections Code, should the City Council wish to place a measure on the
March 3, 2020 Primary election, the deadline to submit a resolution requesting
consolidation and providing ballot text of measure(s) is December 6, 2019 (88 days
prior to the date of election). It should be noted that the Ventura County Elections
Division has confirmed it would be unable to accommodate the filing of Arguments or
Rebuttals to a measure(s) in the event resolutions are received on December 6 due to
the timing required for printing of the Countywide Voter Information Guide.
Should the City Council wish to place a measure on the November 3, 2020 General
election, pursuant to the Elections Code the deadline to submit a resolution requesting
consolidation and providing the ballot text of measure(s) is August 7, 2020. This date
would also result in inadequate time for the filing of Arguments or Rebuttals based on
the deadline for printing of the Voter Information Guide. However, in the event that the
City Council adopts consolidation and measure language resolutions prior August 7, the
ability to file Arguments and Rebuttals may exist, and timing can be re-evaluated.
119
Honorable City Council
10/02/2019 Regular Meeting
Page 4
FISCAL IMPACT
The City Clerk’s Office requested a rough cost estimate from the County of Ventura
Elections Division for potential measures on both the March and November ballots. It
should be noted that election costs can vary greatly depending on a variety of factors
including the number of registered voters in a jurisdiction and length of the measure.
The Elections Division’s estimate for a three-page ballot measure on the March 3, 2020,
Presidential Primary Election is $27,000 plus legal publication costs. Legal publication
costs vary based on the length of the measure and therefore can vary greatly; a rough
estimate of $2,000 would be a reasonable amount to apply for a measure that would be
relatively short. Should the Council wish to place a second measure on the same ballot,
the cost would increase by approximately $7,000.
The Election’s Division’s estimate for a two-page ballot measure on the November 3,
2020 General Municipal Election is $4,500 plus legal publication costs. Should the
Council wish to place a second measure (estimated at seven pages) on the same ballot,
the cost would increase by approximately $8,500 plus legal publication costs.
The Fiscal Year 2019/20 adopted Budget does not include an allocation for election
expenses, as no election expenses were anticipated prior to November 2020. Costs
associated with the November 2020 General Municipal Election will be included in the
Fiscal Year 2020/21 Budget.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Consider the report and provide direction to staff.
Attachment 1: County of Ventura Elections Division, Election Measure Cost Estimate
dated September 19, 2019
Attachment 2: County of Ventura Elections Division, Election Measure Cost Estimate
dated September 26, 2019
120
County of Ventura
COUNTY CLERK-RECORDER,
REGISTRAR OF VOTERS
September 19, 2019
Ky Spangler, City Clerk
City of Moorpark
799 Moorpark Avenue
Moorpark, CA 93021
Re: City of Moorpark -Measure Cost Estimate
Dear Ms. Spangler:
MARK A. LUNN
County Clerk-Recorder,
Registrar of Voters
JAMES B. BECKER
Assistant County Clerk and Recorder
TRACY D. SAUCEDO
Assistant Registrar of Voters
MARTIN E. COBOS
Operations Manager
MIRANDA L. NOBRIGA
Public Information Officer
The estimated election cost for the City of Moorpark for a 3-page measure consolidated with the
March 3, 2020 Presidential Primary Election is $27,000 plus Legal Publication cost. The estimated
cost for each additional measure is an additional $7,000 plus Legal Publication cost. This information
should be used for informational purposes only and not an actual cost. The total amount is subject
to change and could increase or decrease the cost, once the election has been completed.
Please call me at 654-2700 if you have questions.
MARTIN E. COBOS
Operations Manager
Preserving History • Protecting Democracy
Elections Division • 800 South Victoria Avenue Ventura , CA 93009-1200 • (805) 654-2664 • Fax : (805) 654-9200 • www.VenturaVote .org
ATTACHMENT 1
121
County of Ventura
COUNTY CLERK-RECORDER,
REGISTRAR OF VOTERS
September 26, 2019
Ky Spangler, City Clerk
City of Moorpark
799 Moorpark Avenue
Moorpark, CA 93021
Re: City of Moorpark -Election Measure Cost Estimate
Dear Ms. Spangler:
MARK A. LUNN
County Clerk-Recorder,
Registrar of Voters
JAMES B. BECKER
Assistant County Clerk and Recorder
TRACY D. SAUCEDO
Assistant Registrar of Voters
MARTIN E. COBOS
Operations Manager
MIRANDA L. NOBRIGA
Public Information Officer
The estimated election cost for the City of Moorpark for a 2-page measure regarding a directly-elected
mayor position to be consolidated with the November 3, 2020 Presidential General Election, is $4,500
plus legal publication costs. The estimated cost for a 7-page measure for consideration of term limits
for elected officials, consolidated with the November 3, 2020 Presidential General Election is $8,500
plus legal publication costs . This information is intended for informational purposes only and not an
actual cost. The total cost is subject to change and could increase or decrease, once the election
has been completed.
Please call me at (805) 654-2700 if you have questions .
TRACY D. SAUCEDO, CERA, REO
Assistant Registrar of Voters
Preserving History • Protecting Democracy
Elections Division • 800 South Victoria Avenue Ventura , CA 93009-1200 • (805) 654-2664 • Fax : (805) 654-9200 • www.VenturaVote.org
ATTACHMENT 2
122