COUNCIL COMMUNICATION

Transcription

1 Meeting Date: August 8, 2017 COUNCIL COMMUNICATION Agenda Item: Agenda Location: Action Items Work Plan # Legal Review: X 1 st Reading 2 nd Reading Subject: An ordinance submitting to the voters of the City of Thornton, Colorado, proposed amendments to Chapters VII, VIII, and XVIII of the Charter of the City of Thornton, Colorado, concerning posting requirements after first and second reading of ordinances and career service pay plan public hearing notices and the definition of fire fighter. Recommended by: Robb Kolstad Approved by: Jeffrey B. Coder Ordinance previously introduced by: Presenter(s): Robb Kolstad, Assistant City Manager SYNOPSIS: This ordinance sets forth two proposed amendments to the City Charter to be placed on the November 7, 2017 Coordinated Election ballot. The proposed amendments are: 1) Updating posting requirements for ordinances passed and annual Career Service Pay Plan public hearing notices to indicate that posting requirements will be established by ordinance instead of posted physically in six places in the City. 2) Amending the definition of fire fighter to include fire fighters up to and including the rank of Captain. RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends Alternative No. 1, approval of the ordinance, which places two Charter amendment questions on the November ballot. BUDGET/STAFF IMPLICATIONS: The cost of the Regular Municipal Election is in the 2017 budget and the addition of ballot questions will be nominal. Additionally, implementing the Charter amendments, if approved by the voters, will not have a significant impact on the budget. ALTERNATIVES: 1. Approve the ordinance, which places two questions on the November 7, 2017 ballot. 2. Approve the ordinance with specific changes by Council. 3. Do not place questions on the November 7, 2017 ballot. BACKGROUND (ANALYSIS/NEXT STEPS/HISTORY): (includes previous City Council action) The requirement to post a hard copy of each ordinance after first and second reading at six locations within the City was adopted as part of the original Charter in Technology has changed the way people communicate which means residents now look to the internet and social media as sources for information instead of the local grocer s bulletin board. The Charter needs to be updated to align with changing methods residents receive information.

2 COUNCIL COMMUNICATION PAGE 2 If the posting requirements question is passed by the voters, an ordinance would be brought back for Council consideration which would include suggestions such as posting the full text of ordinances on the City s website and the City Clerk s office bulletin board. History: On June 14, 2017, the Thornton Professional Firefighters Local 2376 submitted a letter requesting a question be placed on the November ballot to change the definition of fire fighter to include the rank of Captain (Attached). On June 27, 2017 and July 18, 2017, Council discussed the potential Charter amendments and gave direction to bring forward the proposed Charter amendments which change the definition of fire fighter and update the requirement for documents that are required to be posted in six locations within the City.

3 INTRODUCED BY: Matkowsky AN ORDINANCE SUBMITTING TO THE VOTERS OF THE CITY OF THORNTON, COLORADO, PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO CHAPTERS VII, VIII, AND XVIII OF THE CHARTER OF THE CITY OF THORNTON, COLORADO, CONCERNING POSTING REQUIREMENTS AFTER FIRST AND SECOND READING OF ORDINANCES AND CAREER SERVICE PAY PLAN PUBLIC HEARING NOTICES AND THE DEFINITION OF FIRE FIGHTER. WHEREAS, the City of Thornton, in the County of Adams and State of Colorado (the City), is a municipal corporation duly organized and existing as a home-rule municipality pursuant to Article XX of the State Constitution and the laws of the State of Colorado; and WHEREAS, Section , Colorado Revised Statutes requires the City to submit any Charter amendment to the City s electors; and WHEREAS, the Council now determines it necessary and desirable to submit Charter amendments to the electors of the City at the regular municipal election to be held November 7, 2017; and WHEREAS, Adams County (the County) is conducting on November 7, 2017, a coordinated election pursuant to Section , Colorado Revised Statutes; and WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 3.3 of the City Charter, and Sections and , Colorado Revised Statutes, the Council elects to utilize the Uniform Election Code for the purpose of participating in the coordinated election on November 7, 2017; and and WHEREAS, the Charter of the City of Thornton has been in existence since 1967; WHEREAS, the Charter has been amended by the Thornton electorate in 1972, 1977, 1979, 1981, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2004, 2013, 2015, and 2016; and WHEREAS, the City Council has further reviewed and analyzed the Charter, and believes that certain proposed changes as set forth herein are in the best interests of the City; and WHEREAS, the City Council desires to amend Chapters VII and VIII regarding the posting requirements of passed ordinances after first and second reading and the Career Service Pay Plan public hearing notice to update procedures to be relevant to changing technology and communication methods; and

4 WHEREAS, the City Council and the Thornton fire fighters desire to amend the provisions regarding the members and positions in the Fire Department that are defined as fire fighters under Chapter XVIII of the Charter. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF THORNTON, COLORADO, AS FOLLOWS: 1. Unless otherwise defined herein, all terms used herein shall have the meanings defined in Section , Colorado Revised Statutes. 2. At the regular municipal election on November 7, 2017, there shall be submitted to the eligible electors of the City the following amendment to the Thornton City Charter: [Words double underlined will be added and words stricken shall be deleted] 7.1 CAREER SERVICE SYSTEM. (d) The Council shall annually enact a pay plan for all positions in the Career Service System. The Council shall before adopting a pay plan, conduct a public hearing on the pay plan. At said hearing any employees or agents or representatives of employees, including unions, may appear in addition to any other interested parties. Prior to said hearing, each employee shall be given written notice of the hearing. A notice advertising the public hearing shall be published in a manner set forth by ordinance at least ten (10) days before said hearing and said notice posted in six (6) public places as provided for by resolution of the Council. 8.6 POSTING AND PUBLICATION. The full text of each ordinance after passage on first reading and before second reading and final passage, and after second reading and final passage, shall be posted in six (6) public places in the City as such places are designatedas provided for by resolution ordinance of the Council. The title of each ordinance and a statement that the ordinance is on file in the City Clerk's office for public inspection shall be published in a manner set forth by ordinance as provided in this Charter after first passage and before second passage and again after second and final passage DEFINITIONS. As used in this Chapter and its subparts, the following terms shall, unless the context requires a different interpretation, have the following meanings: (a) The term fire fighter shall mean the following regular employees of the Fire Department of the City of Thornton: sworn fire fighters up to and including the rank of LieutenantCaptain, and emergency medical technicians who are not supervisors and whose primary 2

5 responsibilities are responding to emergency calls for fire suppression and/or emergency medical services. 3. No amendments are proposed by this ordinance to those sections, subsections, paragraphs, or subparagraphs of the Charter which do not appear in Section 2 of this ordinance. 4. The official ballot shall contain the following ballot titles which shall also be the designation and submission clauses for the measures, and which shall appear as two questions on the ballot as stated below: Shall Sections 7.1, Career Service System and 8.6, Posting and Publication, of the Thornton City Charter be amended to delete the requirement for ordinances passed and annual Career Service Pay plan public hearing notices to be posted physically in six locations within the City and require City Council to establish by ordinance the posting requirements for those documents? "Shall Section 18.2 of the Thornton City Charter, Definitions, be amended to define fire fighter as regular sworn fire fighters up to and including the rank of Captain and regular emergency medical technicians who are not supervisors whose primary duties are to provide emergency medical or fire suppression services? 5. If a majority of all votes cast at the election are in favor of the question, that Charter amendment shall be approved. 6. The City Clerk is hereby directed to publish notice of the election upon the foregoing amendment as required by the Colorado Constitution and Statutes, and the Charter and the Code of the City of Thornton, Colorado. 7. The City Clerk is hereby appointed as the designated election official of the City for purposes of performing acts required or permitted by law in connection with the election. 8. Pursuant to C.R.S. Sections (1) and (2.5)(a), not less than 20 days prior to the election, the County Clerk is hereby instructed to give notice of the election, by causing a printed notice of the election to be published at least one time in the Northglenn-Thornton Sentinel, a legal newspaper of general circulation in the City. Pursuant to C.R.S. Section (1.3), such notice shall be posted at least ten days prior to the election and until two days after the election in a conspicuous place in the office of the City Clerk. 9. The officers of the City are authorized to take all action necessary or appropriate to effectuate the provisions of this ordinance. 3

6 10. The amendment to the Thornton City Charter described in Section 2 shall take effect on the date of the filing in accordance with Section 11 below. 11. Within 20 days after the approval of the Charter amendment, the City Clerk shall file with the Secretary of State, a certified copy of each Charter amendment, with the official tally of the votes for and against the amendment. 12. All ordinances or parts of ordinances of the City Code of the City of Thornton, Colorado, in conflict herewith shall be repealed at the time any of the amendments to the Thornton City Charter take effect. 13. If any portion of this ordinance is held to be unconstitutional or invalid for any reason, such decision shall not affect the constitutionality or validity of the remaining portions of this ordinance. City Council hereby declares that it would have passed this ordinance and each part hereof irrespective of the fact that any one part be declared unconstitutional or invalid. 14. This ordinance shall take effect upon final passage. INTRODUCED, READ, PASSED on first reading, ordered posted in full, and title ordered published by the City Council of the City of Thornton, Colorado, on August 8, PASSED AND ADOPTED on second and final reading on, CITY OF THORNTON, COLORADO ATTEST: Heidi K. Williams, Mayor Kristen N. Rosenbaum, City Clerk THIS ORDINANCE IS ON FILE IN THE CITY CLERK S OFFICE FOR PUBLIC INSPECTION. 4

7 APPROVED AS TO LEGAL FORM: Luis A. Corchado, City Attorney PUBLICATION: Posted in six (6) public places after first and second readings. Published in the Northglenn-Thornton Sentinel after first reading on August 17, 2017, and after second and final reading on,