The Sunnyvale Sun

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Changes to city charter expected on next ballot

By Stephen Baxter

A city committee spent seven months and more than a dozen meetings poring over Sunnyvale's basic set of laws, and it has come up with a few suggested changes.

The city's charter--the document that outlines the city's fundamental laws--had not been fully reviewed since 1991, and the Charter Review Committee is expected to present its recommendations to the city council on April 10. The council will refine questions and place changes on the November ballot. Charter changes need a simple majority vote.

"They looked at term limits, direct election of the mayor, maternity and paternity leave--all of those were of great interest," said city attorney David Kahn, who served on the committee.

Former Sunnyvale Mayor Dianne McKenna chaired the group, which includes Kahn, Santa Clara County assessor Larry Stone and 12 others. The committee's final meeting is scheduled March 29.

One proposal would limit city council members to two four-year terms in a 12-year span. The current law says members can serve two consecutive terms and then must wait four years before they can be re-elected.

Another big proposal would have all city council candidates run against each other rather than run for numbered seats. That issue was hotly debated, and the committee hasn't decided whether to recommend it. Proponents of numbered seats say the system lets voters get to know candidates in a more focused debate, but others argue the playing field would be fairer with a citywide competition. Other cities have geographical districts that candidates compete for, or ballots that allow voters to choose multiple candidates.

The Charter Review Committee also looked at having voters directly elect the mayor rather than have the council choose, but that idea was killed.

Other proposed changes to the charter include:

* Changing the mayor's term from one year to two years.

Requiring the council to meet 40 times a year. The minimum is now 24 meetings a year, but the council normally meets three or four times a month.

* Have capital project appropriations continue to the next fiscal year. For projects such as bridges, leaders said it does not make sense to have budgets terminate every June 30.

* Require the city attorney to have at least seven years experience rather than three years. Kahn suggested this revision because he said it the requirement seemed low for a city of Sunnyvale's size. Kahn said he has 26 years of experience and does not plan to retire in the near future.

* Allow city commissioners and board members to resign to serve on other commissions. Many commission members have been allowed to switch commissions, and this revision would clarify the charter.

* Delete the requirement that the city manager be a resident. The Constitution of California doesn't require city employees to live in the city, but a vote is required to change the city law.

* Clarify that the city clerk is appointed by the city manager, not the city council. The city clerk and manager were one position when the charter was written, and the council appointed the clerk.

* Expand the use of the Internet to announce city meetings. The 1949 charter didn't foresee the Internet, so the change would acknowledge that it can be used for public notices and allow future technology also to be used.

* Some charter review questions may be lumped together on the ballot at the city council's discretion, or asked separately. Each revision needs a majority vote to pass.

Voters can weigh in on the proposals by e-mailing the city council at council@ci.sunnyvale.ca.us.