HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif.—After a heated outcry from the public, the city council withdrew a motion June 7 to appoint an ad hoc committee that would deliberate behind closed doors and write ballot measures on controversial changes to the city’s charter or constitution—including changing the elected city attorney, clerk, and treasurer to appointed positions.
The city council instead opted to directly vote in two weeks on the amendments that will appear on the November ballot.
This comes hours after a charter review committee appointed by the Huntington Beach City Council suggested the controversial amendments to the city’s charter at the meeting.
The committee also suggested if the city attorney is kept as elected, the position at least has the same term limits as a councilor.
Twenty-four public commenters disagreed with the amendments, including Casey McKeon who was appointed by Peterson to sit on the Charter Review Committee. Some of the commenters said there were more pressing matters the council should address, such as crime rates.
Dean Mouren-Laurens said during public comment the people want to retain their right to vote on these positions to “ensure we have a check on the power held by the city council.”
If the city attorney’s position changes to appointed, the council could remove current City Attorney Michael Gates and replace him with someone else. Many public commenters reported Gate’s record has been in support financially of residents’ interests.
Regarding term limits, Councilman Erik Peterson protested limits would decrease application numbers because there would be no professional career for the city attorney. The committee shortly responded the decision is for “uniformity” for the same reasons there are limits on city councilors.
The ultimate decision of these amendments would be in the voters’ hands in the general election if the city council approves them.
Huntington Beach is the only city in Orange County that keeps its city attorney an elected position. But large cities like Los Angles and San Francisco also have an elected city attorney.
The Charter Review Committee is supposed to meet every 10 years, but according to Mayor Barbara Delgleize, it has not convened in 12 years. The city’s charter was established in 1909 and has been amended several times since by the council and voters to reflect the priorities of the community and its government.
