Title
Convening a Special Meeting of the City Council
Description
Request for the City Council to call a special meeting at 1 p.m. on Monday, June 11, 2018 for the purpose of calling a special election to fill the mayoral vacancy; to appoint a member of the City Council to serve as the Mayor Pro Tempore until the election of a new mayor; to select a new vice mayor, if necessary; and to adopt other ordinances related to the conduct of the special election.
Report
Summary
Mayor Greg Stanton resigned effective May 29, 2018. Since there is more than a year remaining in his term, Chapter III, Section 5 of the City Charter requires the City Council to call a special election to fill the remainder of his term, which ends on Jan. 2, 2020. The City Council must call the election not less than 11 or more than 20 days after the vacancy occurred. The election must occur on a consolidated election date not less than 120 days after it is called, which will place the election on Nov. 6, 2018.
The City Charter also requires the City Council to appoint one of the remaining council members to serve as Mayor Pro Tempore until the new mayor is elected in the special election or a runoff election. The Charter requires the appointment to be made between 12 and 15 days after the vacancy occurs. The person appointed as the Mayor Pro Tempore will continue to serve as the council member for the district.
A special meeting on June 11, 2018 to call the election and appoint the Mayor Pro Tempore will satisfy the Charter requirements for both actions.
The City Council also must amend the form of the ballot ordinance for the Nov. 6, 2018 election to reflect the special election for mayor on that ballot. On May 16, the City Council adopted an ordinance establishing the form of the ballot for the Nov. 6, 2018 election for the proposed Charter amendment relating to election funding disclosure, also referred to as "dark money."
An additional ordinance is required authorizing the City Manager to enter into an agreement with Maricopa County to conduct the special election on Nov. 6, 2018, as part of the State General Election.
Finally, following the appointment of the Mayor Pro Tempore, if it is necessary to select a new vice mayor, the City Council also can make that selection at this special meeting.
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Acting Deputy City Manager Toni Maccarone and the City Clerk Department.